Ilana Omo Oodua renounces Prof. Akintoye over politics

The umbrella body of all Yoruba self-determination groups, Ilana Omo Oodua, has renounced renowned Historian, Prof. Adebanji Akintoye, over difference in ideologies, vision, and his alleged involvement in politics.

The announcement was made known in a statement on Sunday by one of the spokespersons on the pan-Yoruba group, Otunba Shade Olatunji, after a press conference held in Lagos.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Olatunji said though it was a painful decision to part ways with Akintoye, the decision to separate the main body of Ilana Omo Oodua from him as the ‘Alana’ had become inevitable.

“While the Ilana Omo Oodua as a group still respects Professor Akintoye, it would be difficult to work with him because the vision of Ilana Omo Oodua is at variance with the vision of Akintoye,” Olatunji said.

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She added that while the group was apolitical, Akintoye was tilting towards politics with his recent comments and actions.

“Unknown to us, somewhere along the line, he (Akintoye) went back to his first love, politics, and politics played the one Nigeria way.

“This started to manifest as a desire to be the father of all Yoruba self-determination groups which included those hedging their bets, those out to line their pockets, outright politicians out to use Ilana as a political structure, and most dangerous of all, political jobbers out to destroy Ilana.

“While several allegations were leveled against Professor Akintoye, Ilana defended him staunchly but the avalanche of accusations got to a stage that we had to adopt the strategy of least said but soonest mended.”

She disclosed that while the Ilana structure was under bombardment due to his political stance, the “group warned Akintoye severally that it would not allow him endanger the struggle for a Yoruba nation but he wouldn’t listen.”

“He instead started telling us that he installed us and can remove us.

“We cannot allow Prof Banji Akintoye to truncate the dreams of millions of people. So as of today, Ilana Omo Oodua is stepping aside from Prof Banji Akintoye, freeing him to become the father and supreme commander of the Amalgamated self-determination groups.”

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