The leader of Yoruba Nation Self-Determination Struggle, Professor Banji Akintoye, on Monday, denied authorizing a congress of the apex body expected to take place on November 1st, 2022, in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Reacting to a statement issued by one Funmi Soyemi, the outgoing Chairman of Ilana Interim Management Committee of the organization that a World Congress of Ilana Omo Oodua will hold tomorrow at Ibadan, Akintoye said he never authorized such an event.
Akintoye said: “I am sending out this short message to all Yoruba People worldwide that I did not authorize any meeting of Ilana Omo Oodua to be held tomorrow at Ibadan, Oyo-State. Those behind the gathering are few people working for Nigerian politicians who are determined to discredit our noble struggle.
“I, hereby, I dissociate myself from such a gathering and I want the whole world to know the meeting is illegal, unauthorized and unknown to Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide thus whatever resolutions reached at the meeting is null and void.
“The characters behind the rumored meeting are individuals, who are more interested in holding offices and positions within the self-determination struggle than fighting to restore the stolen sovereignty of our people.
“Therefore, I urge you all to ignore all his agents within our system and be more focused in our struggle for freedom and liberation.”