Professor of History, Prof.Banji Akintoye,has returned as the leader of Yoruba self-determination group,Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide (IOOW)
His action was sequel to the withdrawal of his resignation letter from the leadership of the group.
There had been leadership tussle within the Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide which caused Prof Akintoye to earlier resigned his position,paving way for his deputy,Prof Wale Adeniran, to take over the mantle of as Alana, given the battle of leadership of the group.
Prof Adeniran also resigned his position as the leader of the group on account of allegation of financial mismanagement slammed on him.
Professor Akintoye withdrew his resignation letter and returned as the leader of the self-determination group on Wednesday in a statement obtained by Premium News.
The letter reads:”Three weeks ago, I wrote to inform Ilana Omo Oduduwa that I was resigning from my leadership position in the organization. I made it clear that my resignation was due only to the need for me at my advanced age to trim off my responsibilities in Ilana in order to devote my energies to pressing challenges in the higher spheres of our Yoruba self-determination struggle.
“Since then, I have received from all sections of Ilana messages or letters rejecting my resignation and urging me to continue to make the sacrifice of leading Ilana. In the course of the past week, I have been visited for the same purpose by leading persons representing the Elders Advisory Council, the Ilana Secretariat, and the two formerly differing sections of Ilana.
‘I have also had the honor of being visited by Prince Peter Bamgbade who is recognized in the whole Yoruba Nation as a major influence for reconciliation and harmony among Yoruba people.
“Further to the above, a coalition of Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide (IOOW) affiliates groups both in the diaspora and homeland converged in Ibadan few days ago to revalidate and reaffirm my leadership of Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide (IOOW) and also urged me to withdraw my resignation as leader.
‘I thank Prince Bamigbade for his goodwill interventions in the family of Ilana. In the circumstance, I hereby give up my earlier resignation decision, and announce my return to my leadership position and role in Ilana.
“I appreciate the fact that in the course of appealing to me to return to my Ilana position, various sections of Ilana have accepted the need for greater harmony in Ilana, so that Ilana may return to its well-known unity and strength in our nation’s self-determination struggle. This has made me very happy indeed, and it has given me serious encouragement to return fully to Ilana.
“As I now return, I expect cooperation, mutual respect, brotherliness and disciplined conduct from all our members at home and in the Diaspora. As a disciplined self-determination organization crucial to the realization of our collective resolve to exit the contraption called Nigeria, there is the immediate need to harmonise and unify all the tendencies in IOOW.
‘I hereby use this opportunity to announce the dissolution of all IOOW factions largely brought about by infiltration of our rank and file by adversaries within and without.
“To the glory of God, the Yoruba quest for self-determination is now in its final step towards victory. As is common to struggles in final stages, the tensions are high, and the need for responsibility and discipline are very high. I am confident that Ilana will be a leading contributor to the discipline that will move our nation’s whole struggle to ultimate victory.
“We shall soon wwlcome our ORILEEDE YORUBA, where our Yoruba people will live in peace and security, and where our Yoruba Nation will quickly become a nation of prosperity, power and beauty in the world.
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