Onigbinde Says CYE’s Mandate Is To Ensure Unity Of Yoruba Race
By Adewale Owoade
The President, Council of Yoruba Elders (CYE), Chief Adegboyega Onigbinde, has said that the group was formed to unite all the Yoruba Sons and Daughters all around the world for the interest of national development.
Chief Onigbinde stated this during a press conference at Oduduwa House, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
He said that this clarification was necessary in reaction to some insinuations that emerged from various groups shortly after his appointment as the president of the newly launched social cultural organisation, recently in Ibadan.
Onigbinde noted that the objectives of the CYE is to ensure that the Yorubas remains in good position, playing their roles as nation builders.
He maintained that CYE as a social cultural group is not at loggerhead with any other yoruba group.
In his words, Chief Onigbinde said, “The core mandate of CYE is to ensure that we are in best position to play our roles for the interest of our race and our country at large.
“And for us to achieve this, we must be united, all hands must be on deck, we must forget all our differences, for now we don’t have a one voice as a race.
“We must all come together, put our resources, knowledge and wisdom together, it is through this that we can have a one strong voice, it has to be collective efforts.
“This organisation is open to all Yoruba sons and daughters both at home and abroad for ideas and support of any kind, we formed this organisation with the good intention of moving our country forward.
“The interest of our race is paramount on our agenda and for us to achieve this, our unity is non negotiable.” He said.
Some of the pro tem exco of the Council of Yoruba Elders, as unveiled by the former Super Eagles National Coach, Chief Onigbinde include, Dr Victor Taiwo, Secretary General; Hakeem Danmola, National Treasurer.
Erelu Tijani, National Financial Secretary; Prince Lanre Ogundipe, Publicity Secretary; Elder Taiye Ayorinde, Chairman Mediation and Reconciliation committee; Prince Bowofade Aderemi, Legal Adviser; Retire AIG Bola Alonge, Security Adviser; Chief (Mrs) Simisade Kuku, Chairman Women Affairs.
Princess Dorcas Amusan-Fagborun, Chairman Diaspora; Mr Muhammed Babatunde Aliyu, Chairman Public Awareness; Prof. Olukayode Ogundoro, Administrative Secretary; Others include states Chairmen, and committee chairmen.
In his welcome address, the Secretary General of CYE, who also doubles as the President General of Oodua Redemption Alliance, Dr Victor Taiwo said ;
“We cannot continue to be fooling ourselves, most of Yoruba groups that we all known have been polarised with either by politics or personal interest.”
“We cannot continue to pretend as if we don’t know what is going on, Hausa people have a formidable group that champion their interest, which is Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF).
“They speak with one voice irrespective of their political differences, Igbo people also have their own which is called Ohaneze Ndigbo, but here in Yorubaland our Afenifere group have been polarised.
“We now have Afenifere Renewal Group, and so many other factions, even the Yoruba Council Of Elders (YCE) has also been factionalised, there is Pa Rueben Fasonrati group, and there is Pa Ayo Adebanjo group.
“So we are no longer speaking with one voice and it is so sad, we cannot move forward with all these mess, we need a strong and formidable group that will be championing our interest at the national level too.
“This is what gave birth to this Council of Yoruba Elders (CYE) that was officially launched on Thursday 31st August, 2023 at the House of Chiefs here in Ibadan, the event was a successful one.
“We Yorubas are so brilliant, we are known for our brilliance, but it is so sad because when it comes to wisdom to speak with one voice we are lagging behind, politics has divided us.
“Personal interest has divided us, we need to forget all these and come together for the betterment of our race and for the interest of our nation at large.”
Chief Mrs Erelu Dosumu Abiola, the Yeye Oodua of the Source, who was appointed as the Vice president of the organisation, was then elevated to grand- patroness,the official mother of the Yoruba race, as announced by Chief Onigbinde.
In attendance at the event were Prof. Kayode Ogundoro, Chief Olu Alege Olaseyi, Mogaji Ogunsola Anisere, Alhaja Bisola Quadri, Chief Dara Odunjo, Comrade Wale Alabi, Dr. Tope Taiwo, Mr Rahaman Adebayo, Mrs Bose Oni, among others.
