Breaking: Yoruba Nation speaks on Akintoye’s withdrawal from agitation

The Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide (IOOW), the Umbrella Body of Yoruba Self-Determination Groups, on Friday said renowned Historian, Professor Banji Akintoye did not withdraw from the Yoruba Nation agitation.

In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Tunde Amusat, and sent to CITYNEWS NIGERIA, the group said the octogenarian only resigned as the helmsman of Ilana Omo Oodua due to old age.

“We wish to state that the letter of resignation of Professor Banji Akintoye was very explicit and was without ambiguity. Baba never said he was withdrawing from the Yoruba Nation Agitation nor resigning his membership of IOOW,” the statement read.

“For the sake of emphasis, Ilana was formed by over 100 Yoruba Self-Determination Groups in 2019, first as Yoruba World Congress before it was rebranded to IOOW in 2020 in order to make the struggle indigenous and traditional.

“Baba Akintoye was elected by these groups to lead the Yoruba Nation struggle which he graciously accepted on September 11th, 2019. Baba joined the struggle through a group, Oodua Foundation Inc.

“We, therefore, wish to set the record straight that Professor Banji Akintoye is our lifetime mentor and one of our Patrons in the Yoruba Nation Self-Determination Struggle.”