The President of Yoruba Council Worldwide, Oladotun Hassan, has said that there was no plan to drive away Igbos from Lagos or any Yoruba land across the country.
Hassan gave the disclosure on Wednesday, August 28, during the official honouring of Mrs. Jackie Adunni-Kassim, as Royal Matron of ‘Yoruba Council Worldwide (‘Iya Egbe Omo Oodua’) in her residence at Ali-Ishiba, Ota Ogun state.
He said that the group has been ensuring peaceful coexistence among different ethnic groups in the community across the country since its inception.
He said: “We believe the role of motherhood in the family is very important likewise their roles in society and the country cannot be over-emphasised.
“In terms of our responsibility, we ensure our Kings are taken their roles by ensuring our lands, are protected away from the criminalities, encroachment and given values dying culture.
“We believe our Matron will be able to bring solutions to our societal challenges and ensure peaceful coexistence among the various ethnicities in our society.
“This is the critical area we need your intervention to rally around the social ethnic groups and ensure unity among them to ensure social economy development.
“Our focus is to ensure peace and tell people that we did not hate Igbos. We have not in any way resolved to drive the Igbos away from Yoruba land.
“But we are only championing good governance and rest our demand on new people’s constitution that will give room for restructuring we have been agitating for.”
Adunni-Kassim also President Rotary Club Ota, while giving her remarks thanked the Yoruba Council Worldwide for honouring her and giving a vital role to play not only in the South West but in the country at large.
She said: “So many things have been dividing us and I keep asking how we got this far. This country used to be envied by other nations in the world, but suddenly everything changed through ethnicity and tribal sentiments.
“I have a passion for the job you have given me and assure you that I will work it out to the best of my ability. An Igbo couple looked after my kid when he was grown up, I went to work and dropped my baby off for them and came back and saw my baby eating with them while I also joined them but not now everything has changed no trust anymore.”
The group matron also said that community town hall meetings would be embarked on to ensure proper representation of people in political affairs.
She said that only proper representation from the grassroots could guarantee the dividend of democracy to the citizens.
Adunni-Kassim sought partnership with community leadership and stakeholders to ensure unity and progress in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the group’s activities were to promote peace and unity, Yoruba culture and values.
The Yoruba Council Worldwide was founded on March 18th, 1999, duly registered and renowned as the apex umbrella body for all Yoruba indigenous people globally.
Send Us News, Gist, more... to citypeopleng@gmail.com | Twitter: @CitypeopleMagz
