Yoruba World Congress to Buhari: Restructure or dissolve Nigeria

The maiden meeting of Yoruba World Congress, YOWCO, an umbrella of all Yoruba Socio-cultural, self-determination and advocacy groups worldwide has held in Ibadan, with a call to President Muhammadu Buhari to either restructure the country or dissolve it.

Professor Banji Akintoye, a second republic senator, said to have been elected “New Yoruba Leader” declared, amidst applause from the gathering at Jogor Event Centre, that “Nigerian Government should either embrace restructuring or dissolve the country”.

The meeting had in attendance 80 Yoruba groups, espousing self-determination of the ethnic group. And they came apart from South West, from Edo, Kogi, Kwara and Delta States, where there are also conclaves of Yoruba ethnic stock or descendants.

With Akintoye on Thursday were the 93-year old first female professor in Nigeria, Adetoun Ogunseye; former Managing Director of Daily Times of Nigeria, Dr. Tola Adeniyi; Chairman of Space FM/Afro Space TV, Otunba Deji Osibogun; 107-year old Leaders of Agbekoya, Pa. Akikaka and Pa. Ayalu; varsity don, Prof. Wale Adeniran.

A cross section of participants at Yoruba World Congress in Ibadan

Not enough seats: Some of the people at the Ibadan meeting

Central to the congress, were issues of security, economic challenges, food security, infrastructure decadence, youth unemployment, social exploitation; and how to move the region forward.

Akintoye, in his welcome address, pointed out the importance of defending and promoting the interest of the Yoruba nation in Nigeria, lamenting the decline of the influence of the Yoruba and the various efforts by different groups to salvage the situation.

Akintoye stated that “In today’s conference, we the founders and members of the Yoruba World Congress have assembled first to introduce and to highlight our objectives. We are gathered to send a clear message to the Yoruba people and to the other peoples of Nigeria that we are a great ancient civilization, the most educated people in Africa, and a people with widespread and enormous influence in the world.”

“We are sending notice to those who harbour dangerous and destructive ideas of conquering and subduing other peoples of Nigeria that our Yoruba nation is far beyond their capabilities to subdue.

“While we will continue to honour our tradition of hospitality to foreigners in our land, we will not hold back any effort to force out from our land any foreigners who come with the intent to hurt, to kill, to maim and to destroy.

“We do not harbour any ambition to subdue any people or to seize any part of their land, and we will make it absolutely clear to the world that nobody can seize any inch of our land. We also serve notice that we will resist and reverse the trend toward retrogression in the life of our nation in Nigeria.

“We will mount a multifaceted operation to stop our language from decline. We will mount powerful operations and campaigns to revive our agriculture, and to revive our industrial development that has been deliberately stopped in Nigeria. It is either they restructure Nigeria or dissolve the country peacefully”.

Among the groups at the meeting were factional leaders and members of the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, the Agbekoya’s, Yoruba Council Of Elders (YCE); Yoruba Youths Council; Yoruba Liberation Movement; Yoruba Koya Movement; Itsekiri Nationalists Movement; Edo-Oodua People’s Movement; Binukonu Omo Oodua; Oodua Foundation, USA; Yoruba Liberation Command (YOLICOM); Movement for Oduduwa Republic (MOFORE); Oodua Redemption Alliance; Oodua Liberation Movement; Yoruba Diaspora League; Oodua Nationalist Coalition; Federation of Yoruba Culture & Consciousness and Majiyagbe Olododo Oodua Vanguard.

Others present at the meeting were Egbe Omo Yoruba in North America; Yoruba Action Movement; United Self Determination Platform of Oodua; United Self Determination Platform of Oodua; Oodua Renaissance Movement; Oodua Conscience Movement; Yoruba Oodu’a Union; Okun Development Association; Oodua Progressive Movement; Oodua Action Group; Awari Omo Oduduwa; United Yoruba Kingdom; Supreme Council of Yoruba Youths; Yoruba Traditional Conference etc. 

Also present were members of Ajoro Omo Oodua; Ojulowo Omo Yoruba Group; Yoruba Women Progressive Alliance; Egbe afi Yoruba Pitu Ede; Oodua Coalition Against Insurgency & Kidnapping in Yorubaland; Ayanmo Ire Ile Yoruba Group; Imole Oduduwa Agbaye; Iyayito Oodua; Soludero Hunters Security of Yorubaland; Oduduwa Action Group; Peace for all Yoruba in Nigeria & Overseas; Yoruba Omo Oodua; Oodua Progressive Movement; Agenda for Yoruba Unity Reconciliation & Integrity; Oodua Professionals; League of Yoruba Market Men & Women; Oodua Youth Movement; Oodua Republic Front; Oodua Grand Alliance for Independence; Yoruba Sovereignty Defence Agenda; Ojoola Yoruba Egbe Obinrin Akoni amongst others.

Some groups sent representatives to the inaugural meeting. They were Oodua Revolution Movement; Oodua Renaissance Group; Itsekiri National Youth Council; Network for Yoruba Alliance; Okun Freedom Alliance; Egbe Omo Yoruba in Ghana; Federation of Yorubaland Worldwide (Germany); Yoruba Nation Emancipation Movement; Okun People’s Front; Yoruba Council of Women Worldwide; Yoruba Nation International; Oodua Youth Coalition and the Yoruba Afenifere Youth Council. 

- PM NEWS

Dickson appoints 60 new aides — five weeks to guber poll

Seriake Dickson, governor of Bayelsa state, has appointed 60 new special advisers. 

This development was announced in a statement signed on Thursday by Fidelis Soriwei, chief press secretary to the governor. 

The appointees, drawn from the eight local government areas of the state, Soriwei said would help the government finish well. 

“His Excellency the Governor of Bayelsa State, the Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson, has approved the appointment of 60 new Special Advisers as part of the deliberate efforts to enable the Restoration Government to finish strong in the avowed commitment to deliver effective governance to the good people of Bayelsa State,” the statement read. 

The appointment comes weeks to the state’s governorship election fixed for November 16. 

Soriwei further said the “governor has directed the caucuses to nominate women for appointment as special advisers next week, in areas where they have not been considered for appointment.

“However, the government and the party deplore the ungrateful and unpatriotic attitude of a few appointees who have been sustained and recognised in the midst of far more qualified persons for over seven years but are falling prey to the antics of the All Progressives Congress which is inducing party members with money and fake promises.

“While the government wishes them well in their new endeavours, it is pertinent to note that for every appointee, the PDP has several other more qualified people who are ready and willing to be trusted with such privileged positions of responsibility.” 

Dickson, who is completing a second term, have had over 2000 appointees in his cabinet since he got reelected in 2016.

- THECABLE

How Buhari govt is frustrating freedom of speech – Apostle Suleman

Presiding Pastor, Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleman has reacted to President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval of an increase in fine relating to hate speeches.

DAILY POST reports that Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed in Abuja while inaugurating the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Reform Implementation Committee said Buhari approved the upward review of fines from N500,000 to N5 million for breaches relating to hate speeches, inciting comments and indecency.

According to the statement: “Following deliberations at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) of March 27th 2019, on the unprofessional and unethical conduct of some broadcast stations, especially before and during the last general elections, President Muhammadu Buhari directed me to institute an inquiry into the conduct of the stations and report back to the Council

“Consequently, I inaugurated a five-member committee on Wednesday, April 10th 2019 with the following terms of reference:

“Find out to what extent the NBC was able to effectively carry out its regulatory role before and during the 2019 general elections.

“Recommend measures that could strengthen NBC’s regulatory role and make it more effective.

” Upward review of fines from N500,000 to N5,000,000 for breaches relating to hate speeches, inciting comments and indecency.”

But reacting, Apostle Suleman said the recent review by Buhari is a ‘deliberate attempt to silence Nigerians’

On his Twitter page, the outspoken cleric wrote: “Just read about N5m fine for hate speech, there is a thin line between freedom of speech and hate speech.

“This is a deliberate attempt to silence people, we could backdate its implementation to 2014.”

- DAILY POST

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali wins Nobel Peace Prize

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali has been awarded the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea.


The award, the last in the series of prizes given in the sciences from Monday, was announced today in Oslo Norway. The Peace prize worth $900,000 will be presented in Oslo on December 10.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee believes it is now that Abiy Ahmed’s efforts deserve recognition and need encouragement. The committee hopes that the 2019 NobelPeacePrize will strengthen Prime Minister Abiy in his important work for peace and reconciliation.
The 2019 Nobel Peace Prize is also meant to recognise all the stakeholders working for peace and reconciliation in Ethiopia and in the East and Northeast African regions, the Nobel Peace Prize Committee said.

In close cooperation with Isaias Afwerki, the President of Eritrea, this year’s Peace Laureate Abiy Ahmed quickly worked out the principles of a peace agreement to end the long “no peace, no war” stalemate between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
In Ethiopia, even if much work remains, Peace Laureate Abiy Ahmed has initiated important reforms that give many citizens hope for a better life and a brighter future. As Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed has sought to promote reconciliation, solidarity and social justice.

Abiy Ahmed Ali became Prime Minister of Ethiopia in April 2018.
His office said Ethiopia is proud as a nation for being recognised for the much coveted award.
Here is the press statement issued in reaction:

Abiy Ahmed Ali’s office reaction to the Nobel Peace Prize

The first African recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize was South Afica’s Albert Luthuli in 1960, for his role in the non-violent struggle against apartheid. He was then the President of the African National Congress.
In 1978, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat shared the prize with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin for their efforts to reach a peace agreement between their two countries.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu got the prize in 1984 for his anti-apartheid work. In 1993, African icon Nelson Mandela shared the prize with F.W. de Klerk.
In 2001, former UN Secretary-general was honoured with the award. In 2004, Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathari was also given the award.

In 2011, former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf jointly won the prize with compatriot Leyman Gbowei, a peace activist, who led an all-women nonviolent peace movement, Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace that helped bring an end to the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003.
Medical doctor Dennis Mukwege of Congo Democratic Republic shared the award with Iraqi Yazidi human rights activist Nadia Murad. Mukwege is a Congolese gyneacologist and Pentecostal pastor, who founded and works in Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, where he specializes in the treatment of women who have been raped by armed rebels.

- PM NEWS