Yoruba Elders Express Worry Over Economic Hardship in Nig.

….Tasks Tinubu on Practical Solution

The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) has expressed serious concerns about the economic hardship especially at the consequence of fuel subsidy removal currently affecting Nigerians . The elders tasked President Bola Tinubu on practical action to alleviate the suffering.

 

They however pledged support for President Tinubu with an urge on the administration to implement more realistic, doable, and obvious measures to lessen the suffering and overall hardship Nigerians were currently facing.

These were among the decisions made by the organisation at its emergency National Executive Council meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State

“Rising from an Emergency Meeting on August 10, 2023, the YCE affirms its total support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the meeting’s communiqué, which was made accessible to newsmen in Ibadan by its secretary-general, Chief Oladipo Oyewole, stated.

“However, the council observes that the suffering in Nigeria at this time is getting sharper and hardship is getting deeper among the masses. The cost of petrol has increased, the cost of transportation and the cost of foodstuffs have gone up.

“While associating fully with the management abilities and capabilities of the present federal government administration, it is of concern to YCE that the Federal Government of Nigeria should put in place more pragmatic, practical and visible ways of easing the pains and general hardship which Nigerians are presently contending with’’.

The elders bemoaned the restriction and infringement of the Yoruba people’s rights in the state and voiced concern over the publications made by the Emir of Ilorin and others over the Isese worship in Kwara State.

The elders said: ‘’The Council also observes that the socio-cultural right of Yoruba people in Kwara State is being contained, marginalized and unduly infringed upon. The Newspaper publication of the Emir of Ilorin and his emissaries has caused worries for the Yoruba Council of Elders’’.

The group stated that every Nigerian should continue to enjoy the freedom of Religious Worship as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It said: “Accordingly, Council posits that every Nigerian should continue to enjoy the freedom of Religious Worship as entrenched in the existing Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999).

“We stand firm that the Kwara Emirate should allow tradition and Socio-Cultural activities to exist and thrive for those who choose to worship God in that mode.”

Therefore, Yoruba Council of Elders stand (for reprieve) with the Priestess and then accredited Lead Worshipper (Yeye Osun) who are presently being denied their rights of mode of worship’’.

Speaking on the power impasse in the Niger Republic, YCE called for diplomatic steps to prevent any action that might escalate into war in West Africa.

‘’The Yoruba Council of Elders stand firm in the resolve that the situation in NIGER should be pursued and addressed with high-level diplomatic measures to forestall any action which may escalate into a situation of a war that may consume the West Coast of Africa’’, the group said.

The organisation emphasised that Nigeria’s decision to tighten its belt will have a beneficial effect, but they also asked for effective administration and monitoring to ensure that the people did not suffer needlessly.

The statement read: “We see a beneficial conclusion for Nigeria’s belt-tightening as it were, but we advocate for appropriate administration and monitoring so that our people would not have suffered in vain”.