Agitators of Yoruba Nation have vowed not to relent in their campaign for self-determination, declaring they will present their case at the 76th UN General Assembly in September 2021.
The Nation reports the umbrella body of Yoruba self-determination groups, Ilana Omo Oodua, had endorsed the ongoing petition being pushed by the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination (NINAS), which urged the Federal Government to conduct a referendum.
One of the leaders of Ilana Omo Odua, Prof. Wale Adeniran, in a zoom conversation organised by UK-based Heritage Multimedia TV on Tuesday evening monitored by The Nation, explained the UN General Assembly would be an opportunity to explain the Yoruba Nation agitation to world leaders.
Adeniran, a pioneer Commissioner of Education in Osun State, and former Director of Institute of African Studies at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife disclosed he would speak to Prof. Banji Akintoye with respect to participating in the session as parts of efforts to consolidate the ongoing struggle.
The 76th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 76) will open on Tuesday, 14 September 2021 at New York, USA.
The first day of the high-level General Debate will be Tuesday, 21 September 2021 and session will end Thursday, 30 September 2021.
Adeniran said: “You’ve hit it right in front of the head, that’s a golden opportunity for us to present our case forcefully, before the entire world.
“So that one week, impress it on all Yoruba people all over the world to descend on New York, and the UN general assembly.
“I am going to point out to Prof. Akintoye that we would have to be part of the event in US.”
While giving an update of the Yoruba Nation petition submitted to the International Criminal Court (ICC), he said: “The ball is in our court to begin to push our case and continue to shout it.
“We’ve submitted our letter and it has been acknowledged, it is now left for us to embark on aggressive propaganda for the ICC to look into case, you know they are humans too.
“That we have filed a petition is not sufficient, we have to keep making noise about it.”
Akintoye, who spoke at the virtual session, charged all supporters not give up on the struggle.
While he commended the efforts of media in supporting the struggle, he expressed dismay over those spreading false rumors and false reportage about Sunday Igboho.
