The prominent Yoruba Diaspora organisation, under the aegis of Yoruba One Voice (YOV), has hailed the six South West governors for throwing their weight behind restructuring Nigeria to regionalism, expressing delight at the move aimed at addressing various challenges currently confronting the country.
YOV equally applauded Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), and Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), who, at a meeting held recently in Lagos, agreed to create inter-state collaboration where all the Commissioners for Agriculture from each of the states would convene regularly to develop a coordinated approach that would boost food production and security.
The Diaspora group said this in a statement issued by its General Secretary, Prince Adedokun Ademiluyi, a copy of which was made available to newsmen on Tuesday, stating that the new development had shown that the governors were ready to work on the mandate given to them to move the region forward by providing an enabling environment that would enhance growth and development across the South West.
YOV, while backing the governors’ move on the need to restructure the country and allow for State Police, noted the fundamental issues involving the structural defects of the Nigerian nation, the spate of insecurity in the land, occasioned by “Boko Haram insurgency in the North East; to terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping in the North West and North Central; and the rise of separatist movements in the South East,” among others. With these challenges, “the need for restructuring to regionalism is very pertinent, and the call for State Police is very urgent.”
“Nigeria is presently confronted with various challenges resulting from the fundamental issues involving the structural defects of the Nigerian nation.
“The clamour for restructuring to regionalism has continued to take centre stage of our national discourse because of the obvious challenges emanating from the structure of this country.
“However, the spate of insecurity across the country has remained a hard nut to crack, especially for the Federal Government, even as the state governments have been so helpless in the face of the security scourge.
“From the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East to terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping in the North West and North Central, and the rise of separatist movements in the South East, the security apparatus of Nigeria is under immense pressure.
“With these challenges, the need for restructuring to regionalism is very pertinent, and the call for state police is very urgent.
“It is on this note that the Yoruba One Voice has continued to call for restructuring to regionalism as the best approach to solving the structural deficits of the country,” the group said.
“As far as we are concerned, we believe in the unity of the Yoruba. We commend the Southwest governors for the adoption of a Yoruba unity anthem for the entire South West.
“The anthem was originally composed by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo in 1978. But it was first adopted by the Osun State government, under Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as the governor of the state.
“The anthem was later adopted by the Ondo State government during the administration of the late Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu.
“The anthem, with the lyrics ‘Ise Wa Fun Ile Wa,’ symbolises regional glory, unity of purpose, and progress with a unified roadmap for social and economic integration among the six states in the South West region. All six states in the South West have adopted the Yoruba unity anthem.
“There is no better time than now for us to create an enduring synergy that will strengthen the bond among the state governors and also reinvent the spirit of Omoluabi that the Yoruba all over the world and most especially in the South West region is noted for,” the group added.
Prince Ademiluyi, however, assured that the diaspora organisation would remain a formidable voice in Nigeria, saying that it would not relent but would continue to raise its voices, especially on issues that had to do with the progress of the Yoruba and their well-being and Nigeria as a whole.
“We will not relent; we will continue to raise our voices, especially on issues that have to do with the progress of the Yoruba and the well-being of the people of our race and Nigeria as a whole,” he assured.
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