Akintoye Emerged New Yoruba Leader

To fill the space created by the deaths of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Pa Adekunle Ajasin, Chief Bola Ige and Senator Abraham Adesanya, some Yoruba leaders converged in Ibadan yesterday to elect a new leader, Prof Adebanji Akintoye.

Before the election of the new 84-year-old Yoruba leader by a 135-year-old man, Pa Olamilekan Akekaka, Elder Taiye Ayorinde, Chief Deji Osibogun and other elders, the convener of the meeting, Comrade Victor Taiwo, founder of Oodua Redemption Alliance noted that Pa Adebanjo had been contacted to be the new leader but he rejected the offer.

The new leader was unveiled at a programme titled, "Assembly of all Yoruba groups worldwide".

The associations that attended the gathering include members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (New Era); Oodua Redemption Alliance; Majiyagbe Oodua Vanguard; Awari Omo Oduduwa; and many others.

At the event, Sheikh Abdukraheem Aduranigba, Chief Imam of Yorubaland who spoke on behalf of Yorubas in Kwara and Kogi states moved a motion for the nomination of Akintoye.

They mentioned the reason for their choice of Prof Akintoye include his patriotism to Yoruba cause, passionate commitment, bravery and uncompromising trait.

 

Other qualities of the new leader, according to them, also included probity, honesty, truthfulness, integrity, friendliness, sense of arbitration, physical agility, mental alertness, accessibility and amiability, the new leader was elected by the majority of those present at the event.

Akintoye, a Second Republic Senator and Emeritus Professor of History scored 71 votes against Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who scored 3 votes to become Yoruba new leader.