OAM insists on Yoruba Nation autonomy that grants access to natural resources
A socio-political group, Oodua Action Movement (OAM) has called for the right to self determination of Yoruba Nation that would guarantee speed and monumental development of the region.
The group expressed worried over the broke down of ‘Peace Treaty of September 1886’ saying that the best option for Yoruba Nation is a regional autonomy.
In a statement issued by the Global Coordinator of the group, Otunba Demola Edward titled “OMO ODÙDUWÀ WHERE IS THE PEACE PROMISED IN 1886” lamented that Oodua Action Movement is deeply concerned and worried about the present situation of the region.
Edward stressed the need for all Traditional rulers (Kabiyesis), leaders and elders (Political, Religious, Academic etc), various organisations of Yoruba extract to back the Clarion call with necessary actions for total overhaul of the land.
His words: “Over century ago, September 23rd 1886 to be precise, a Peace Treaty initiated by the uninvited British Colonialists was signed by all Yoruba warring Communities to permanently end a war that had lasted for a whole 16 years and in which many unnumbered lives were lost.
“The Peace Treaty which brought the war to an end was aimed at promoting lasting peace, unity, steady progress, social and infrastructural development (health, education), security of lives and property, Commerce, Culture, religion etc among the Yorubas and their communities and evidently the expected changes began to reflect after the Treaty”‘ he said
Edward further lamented It was sad that over a century after the ‘Peace Treaty’, the war appeared to have stealthily inflicted our psyche with a sense of mitigated individualism such that kinsmen were now in fierce war of self identity and ego!
“It is sad that the bitterness engendered by that unfortunate war and crave for supremacy had since left a faint indelible crack on the Socio-psyche of a people naturally endowed with the spirit of unmatched diplomacy – Omoluabi.
“The spirit of Kinsmanship peculiar to us as Oòduà sons and daughters has evidently been largely eroded away from our society” he said.
According to him, the’gulf’ created by the gory incident seems to have become hereditary so much that most of our leaders (Traditional, Religious, Political etc) of successive generations kept identifying themselves with a region rather than seeing themselves as offspring of same patriarch, Oduduwa.
He went on: “Our monarchical structures have been out of place and virtues normally associated with our traditional rulers have been seriously tainted by various vices.
The OAM Coordinator also lamented that there was no longer a platform for the leaders and elders of the land to peacefully meet and genuinely discuss the welfare of the populace who are daily dying from the weight of untold hardship inflicted upon them by uncaring leaders and elders.
“OAM is calling for a change in the status quo as we are deeply concerned and worried about all these seemingly unbridgeable gulf among individuals, communities, traditional, sociopolitical and religious institutions etc which had for years made all potential progress in Yoruba land a mirage”, he added.
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