By DAPO FALADE
A group of eminent Yoruba leaders, under the aegis of the Yoruba Global Alliance (YG), has called on the people to hold accountable and demand for more action and representation from elected public office holders from Yorubaland.
The group, led By Emeritus Pro-Chancellor/Chairman Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Dr Amos Akingba, made the call at the end of the YG Leaders Council January Meeting, chaired by its chairman and veteran journalist, Chief Tola Adeniyi.
In a statement issued at the end of the meeting and signed by Professor Anthony Kila, the Yoruba leaders appealed to Yoruba people at home and abroad to be conscious of the fact that in democracy, the first port of call for issues regarding public affairs is the office of elected officials.
“Charity begins at home and in all we endure or disagree with in Nigeria, we must start by lodging our complaints and comments from those elected in the name of and behalf of Yoruba people.
There is no doubt that Yoruba people generally feel unsecured, unserved and shackled in Nigeria as it stands today. But rather than get just emotional or desperate about things, YG calls for a deliberate approach which starts from holding accountable those elected, nominated, charged and paid to represent Yoruba people and interest.
“Our greatest danger does not come from outside but from inside, and more specifically, it comes from those charged with protecting our people, land, interest and culture but refuse to do their duty either out of fear, ignorance or collusion,” the statement read.
YG therefore urges Yoruba people at home and abroad to ask, what are those who went to Abuja in the name of Yoruba people doing or thinking when they get to the Nigerian table to keep quiet when the Abuja passes laws, proposes policies and makes utterances that do not stand well with Yoruba people?
“Yoruba people need to demand that all elected and nominated officials go back to their immediate constituencies to make statement of their position on security in Yorubaland, welfare of Yoruba people and listen to the view of the people,” it added.
YG Chancellor of Tradition and Spirituality, Chief Solagbade Popoola, during the meeting, announced that the group will soon make public days of prayers for Yoruba people across the world.
He noted that there is an attempt by some reckless political leaders to divide Yoruba people along religious lines, adding that such division is alien to Yoruba practices and principles and should be rejected by all.
The group advised all Yoruba politicians, from the local government level to the highest offices, to brace up to give account of their positions and stewardship on all issues and to learn to guide their actions and utterances using the principle of “Yoruba people are watching and will ask questions.”
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