The Ooni Caucus, a body recently constituted by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi as an advisory organ of the palace has disowned a purported press release on Yoruba self-determination, attributed to it.
Ooni of Ife
Chief Akin Osuntokun, a former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) and Coordinator of the caucus, made this known on Saturday in a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti.
He lamented that In the past weeks, there had been in circulation, mainly in the social media, a purported press release on Yoruba self-determination, attributed to the Ooni caucus, which was at variance with the actual mandate of the caucus.
According to him, the caucus did not know anything about the said press release, nor authorised anyone to act on its behalf, in that regards.
” The report falsely claimed that the caucus, comprises 22 members who were constituted into a committee, and charged with the actualisation of Yoruba self-determination
” For the avoidance of doubt, and contrary to what the online media portrayed to be mandate of the caucus, our mission remains, to support and advise Kabiyesi, the Ooni of Ife, in the discharge of his royal mandate, in furtherance of the institutionalisation of the ancient Oodua stool, and to extend similar facility and goodwill, to the other leading traditional rulers in Yorubaland.
” It is also to serve as bridge builders across the cleavages that have perennially obstructed unity of purpose among the Yoruba people and regularly engage with critical stakeholders”, Osuntokun said
He added that the body is to also anticipate and proactively engage with developments within the fraught and fluid context of contemporary Nigeria, as it concerns the welfare and well-being of the Yoruba.
The statement explained further that contrary to the online reports that the caucus, had only 22 members, the actual number of members is 34, and they include prominent names such as Osuntokun, Ọba Francis Olusho Alao Olugbon of Orile Igbon, Akogun Taiwo Lakanu DIG (Rtd) ,Chief Yomi Layinka, Mr Jimi Agbaje and Mr Dele Adesina SAN
Also on the list are: AIG(Rtd)Tunji Alapini, General (Rtd) Muyiwa Okunowo, Mr Muyiwa Ige, Dr Jimoh Ibrahim Mr Eniola Bello, Dr Reuben Abati, Dr Seun Obasanjo, Dr Doyin Okupe and Prof. Wale Adebanwi among others.