YORUBA leaders, including Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade and Chief HID Awolowo have called on their kinsmen to sheathe their swords, unite and work together for peaceful co-existence and social economic development of the Yoruba nation.They spoke yesterday in Ikenne, Ogun State at the maiden Pan-Yoruba national conference organised by the Yoruba Unity Forum.At the event, Oba Sijuade said there was need for unity among Yoruba leaders for the good of the entire Yoruba nation. He appealed to Yoruba leaders, both at home and in Diaspora, politicians and non- politicians to come together as children of the same father because there is urgent need for unity in order for the Yoruba nation to come out of what he called its present messy situation.The monarch, who addressed the gathering in local language, stated that the period was not the best time to apportion blame but there was an urgent need for the leaders to forgive themselves in order to move the Yoruba nation to an enviable height.Oba Sijuade commended two Afenifere leaders, Sir Ajadi Lanihun and Chief Ayo Adebanjo forbrokering peace among the warring traditional rulers in Yoruba land.He also pleaded with the Yoruba particularly those that did not attend the conference not to see it as a political gathering or having any political undertone, saying, 'it is simply a forum to identify the challenges of the race and find necessary solution.'The patriarch of the Awolowo dynasty, Chief HID Awolowo said the summit was not organised to spite anybody or group nor did it has any political motives, noting that 'it is mainly aimed to bring the Yoruba race together under one umbrella of love, unity and coherence.'Mrs. Awolowo, who said a situation where Yoruba people were being relegated to the background was not acceptable, called for unity of purpose among the leaders, stating that leaders, irrespective of their political affiliations, should forget their differences and move Yoruba nation forward.But the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governors were conspicuously absent from the gathering. Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State was represented by his deputy. The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Oba of Lagos Rilwanu Akinolu, Awujale of Ijebu Ode Sikiru Adetona and Alake of Egba were among first class traditional rulers who were absent at the event.Former Governor of Ogun, Gbenga Daniel also came in briefly and left before the conference started while former governors of Oyo and Osun states Adebayo Alao-Akala and Olagunsoye Oyinlola were represented.Former governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande expressed gratitude for the conference, but said the Yoruba was not lagging behind as some people felt. 'In Nigeria of today, everybody must fight his course. The country will not break up but at that, the Yoruba people must strive not to be relegated,' he said.For those absent, Jakande said, 'this is not the time for blame game. Delegates should be sent to explain the reason and motives behind the conference to them.'Leader of Afenifere, Chief Ruben Fasoranti, raised the issue of incessant massacre of Yoruba in other parts of the country, particularly in the North as something that must be critically addressed.Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, told Oba Sijuade and Mrs. Awolowo to take the responsibilities for the conference and be courageous enough to meet with other personalities who were not present at the conference. 'If you fail to do this, then the conference will not have any relevance,' he said.Some of the traditional rulers present also tasked Ooni to take the bull by the horn towards reconciling differences among the traditional rulers within the Yoruba nation. Oba Akinruntan Olugbo specifically told the organisers that some of the absentees were not properly invited and by so doing 'Oba Sijuade and Mrs. Awolowo should meet them.'Leaders of the factions of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Dr. Fredrick Faseun and Gani Adams were also told to embrace each other and end their feud for the common good of the Yoruba people.Reading the communique, Chief Ebenezer Babatope said the conference decried the present marginalisation of Yoruba among the first 10 set of public officers in the country, urging President Goodluck Jonathan to as a matter of urgency, address the issue.He also stated that the conference was none political, adding that the issue of unity, love and peaceful coexistence of the Yoruba must remain paramount.
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