A coalition of various Yoruba groups in Diaspora, Yoruba One Voice (YOV) said there is need for all Yoruba sons and daughters in the Diaspora to unite for both political and economic liberation of the race in Nigeria.
The group, in a statement by its Director of Communication, Comrade Zacheaus Somorin, on Monday, said the group was launched to promote the interest of the race at a global stage, admitting that the new group had embarked on a sensitization process to foster unity and peace among the existing groups of Yorubas abroad.
Somorin, a Canada-based Yoruba son insisted that the coalition became
imperative to bring all Yoruba professionals in many parts of the world
together in order to provide a unified front for the progress of the Yoruba
nation.
He
pointed out that within the first few weeks of its existence, the new group has
an existing structure in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, European
Union, Africa, Asia, South America, North America and Australia, and are
presently working to extend its frontiers to other countries.
He
also affirmed the progress of the group, saying:"Yoruba One Voice was
founded to engage various progressive groups, within the confines of the law,
in ensuring that the people of the South West do not suffer continued economic
isolation, being trampled upon and subjugated; adding that a sustained
agitation for the Yorubas economic liberation is urgent and critically
fundamental at this point in time."
"Yoruba One Voice is convergent point and one big umbrella, created for charting a new course for a better future for the race back home in Nigeria. The group is not an organization; but a formidable coalition of every Yoruba organisation in the diaspora that believes in solidifying our unity, the coalition intends to intervene and engage the Yoruba people at home in terms of governance, socio-economic justice and fairness for all."
Somorin, however, lamented the leadership problem in Nigeria, saying the long years of misrule in the country remains the problem of the country.
"Over the years, it is sad that
Nigeria's leadership deficit has been intractably inefficient, tribal and
palpably hopeless; hence the need for intervention in terms of policy
direction, accountability by Yoruba intellectuals abroad who have garnered
global exposure and education towards having a livable Yoruba nation.”
''In recent times, there have been centripetal and centrifugal forces calling for the geographical/constitutional laceration of the Nigerian State. These have been motivated by the intractable disillusionment that permeates the nation state called Nigeria'' he said.
YOV also admitted that many of the Yoruba youths abroad have been forced to stay and overstay abroad due to lack of opportunities at home, stressing that most jobs have been taken over by non Yorubas.
"The
agitation has become urgent based on the fact that most resources being
generated in the South West are taken to the center - Abuja, as structurally
facilitated by arrogant defiance to true fiscal federalism. The South West
contributes 90 per cent of the country’s non-oil revenue to the federation
account.''
Historically, the South West had the first television station in Africa; first university, among other firsts. But as things are, Yoruba One Voice, is of the opinion that Yoruba's glory is being trampled upon based on how Nigeria is presently structured politically.''
''The security architecture of the region on a daily basis, is being polarized and undermined by marauding herdsmen who have been wreaking havoc on farmlands; killing and maiming innocents while the central government looks the other way. To allow these to fester unchallenged could spell doom for the Yoruba nation. There have also been reports of stealth penetration of terrorist groups into Yoruba land. We therefore urge all Yoruba groups in the Diaspora to affiliate with the coalition for the purpose of having a united front for the betterment of the Yoruba nation.''
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