Yoruba Council, Ifa worshippers urge peace
Socio-cultural group, Think Yoruba First (TYF) Worldwide, has condemned a publication that distorts the history of the Yoruba people, specifically Ile-Ife, which is considered the cradle of Yoruba civilisation.
TYF’s Lead Legal Consultant, Sanwo Oluwatobi, who stated this, yesterday, during a briefing tagged: ‘Cultural Defamation & Historical Distortion in Publications Attacking Ile-Ife and Yoruba Heritage Worldwide’, expressed concern over the book, titled: ‘The Igbo People, History and Worldview’, by Dons Eze and Chinedu Ochinanwata, alleging that the book contains false and libellous claims about Yoruba origins.
The group described the publication as a clear example of cultural defamation, historical distortion, and intellectual dishonesty, which could potentially provoke ethnic tensions.
The socio-cultural group, therefore, called on the government and relevant institutions to take immediate action to protect the cultural heritage of all ethnic groups, particularly the Yoruba people, and to ensure that such distortions are not perpetuated in the future.
It also urged academic institutions and media organisations to promote authentic scholarship and reject falsified accounts that seek to erase or appropriate the history and identity of the Yoruba people.
The group said that it had initiated legal action against the authors and publishers of the book and is mobilising Yoruba communities worldwide to defend their heritage and legacy.
Relatedly, the Yoruba Council Worldwide (YCW) has appealed for calm and unity in the wake of the disagreement between the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, over the conferment of a chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on a businessman, Dotun Sanusi.
In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Charles Adeyemi, and made available to journalists yesterday in Ibadan, the YCW expressed deep concern over the rift between the royal institutions, noting that both monarchs are sacred symbols of Yoruba history, dignity, and cultural pride.
It said that such tension must be approached with wisdom and restraint, urging Yoruba elders, statesmen, and traditional leaders to intervene and help restore peace and mutual respect between the two royal stools.
The group, however, called for an immediate retraction of the 48-hour ultimatum reportedly issued by the Alaafin’s spokesman, Bode Durojaiye, and proposed the convocation of a Yoruba Obas Conference to facilitate a peace pact.
Also, in a bid to preserve peace and unity among the Yoruba traditional institutions, the International Council for Ifa Religion (ICIR) has called on the two monarchs to sheathe their swords and end the ongoing dispute over seniority.
The ICIR, in a statement by its President, Fayemi Fakayode, urged the monarchs to prioritise harmony and cultural solidarity, especially as the Yoruba people celebrate the Iseṣe festival, a time traditionally dedicated to peace, ancestral reverence, and spiritual renewal.
