Yoruba to unite for Nigeria’s restructuring

• Civil groups team up to fight corruption
As part of the efforts to ensure that Nigeria is restructured to true federalism, which has been a long time agitation by most ethnic nationalities, the Southwest geo-political zone is set to organise a Grand Rally of Yoruba Congress aimed to galvanize all groups in the region under one umbrella to take a position on the issue.

Addressing a press conference in Lagos yesterday, the Chairman Organising Committee of the congress, Dr Kunle Olajide said it is a common knowledge that Nigeria is currently going through a very difficult phase and as such, patriots across the country must rise up to find lasting solution to the problems.

Olajide, who disclosed that the planned congress scheduled for September 7, 2017 at Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba in Ibadan Oyo State, would involve over 100 different groups in Yoruba land with the aim of achieving the purpose of restructuring the country to true federalism.

According to him, “The Yoruba have been at a forefront of maintaining unity in this federation. We are very accommodating, we do not threaten anyone, and hence we must be able to make as much progress as permitted by our tenants and abilities without let or hindrance from any quarter.”

Stressing that the Yoruba nation by the fact of having to come under one umbrella to demand for restructure “shows that we are more united and ready to seek a common agenda and purpose, which is restructuring of the country.

“We prefer to exist within a Nigeria where we are guaranteed safety and progress. We believe it is the interest of all for this country to be reorganized in such a way that power is devolved to the federating units. It is on this basis that leaders of Yoruba nation, home and abroad, organised groups, students, artisans, past and current elected public officials across the political spectrum and many representatives of all facets of our people, would be converging in Ibadan to appraise these issues and fashion out a workable way out of the ongoing quagmire the nation faces.”

Notable personalities present at the briefing include Chief Reuben Fasoranti, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Professor Banji Akintoye, Chief Supo Sonibare, Mr. Sola Lawal, Professor Amos Akingba and others.

Meanwhile, a group of civil society organisations under the aegis of Movement Against Corruption (MAC) yesterday reiterated its plans to stage a one-day march against corruption.

The walk that is fixed to hold on the 30th, August in Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja respectively is targeted at sensitizing the people on the immediate need to possess ownership of the war against corruption in the country.

Chairman of the group, Dr. Joe Okei Odumakin said it is important to sensitize the public on the cancerous effect of corruption on the Nigerian polity and averts it.

She said Nigerians are tired of prevailing mass poverty, hunger, unemployment, decayed medical and educational systems, poor infrastructure, epileptic power supply and absence of social services, which are indicators of the damaging effects of corruption in Nigeria.

According to her, “In actualizing our ambition of leading this crusade against corruption in our country, we have resolved to reject any form of policy or legislation from any tier or arm of the government, aimed at encouraging acts of corruption, particularly those designed to shield corrupt elements and giving amnesty to those indicted for corrupt practices.”

She added that Nigerians have suffered immeasurably from corruption and the time to give corruption a Red Card is now. We must resist the temptation to remain silent while corruption erodes our basic values, saying, “We are also determined to mobilise Nigerians to demand judicial accountability by campaigning against the increasingly slow pace of action of the judiciary in the prosecution of corruption related cases, across various courts in Nigeria.

“The movement is birthed in response to the imperative for Civil Society Organization (CSOs) and the Nigerian people, to have a common, formidable and organized platform through which they can frontally confront the cancer of corruption which has bedeviled Nigeria for decades.

“The Lagos rally shall takeoff from Ikeja under bridge by 7:30am while that of Abuja shall take off from unity Fountain simultaneously. This shall be followed by similar marches across cities in the country at later dates, to be announced soon.”