Rejoinder:
The Apex umbrella body for all Yoruba indigenous people globally: Yoruba Council Worldwide ably led by our Global Leader and President, Aare Oladotun Hassan Esq is aghast to refute and condemn in its entirety the statement dated 8th December, 2024 and published in the punch newspaper, and shared on other social media platforms credited to a renowned impersonator and unflattering Impostor: One Eric Oluwole acclaimed “Yoruba Youth Council” who is no less than a lie peddler and self attention seeker.
This rejoinder is absolutely necessary to correct the erroneous Wrong impression created by Mr. Eric Oluwole wherein certain people from various sections of the country’s bombardment with calls as a result of the falsehoods ascribed to the press report done with the said “Yoruba Youth Council” name in bid to cause confusion, as if Aare Oladotun Hassan is the author of the story; being the only renowned and recognised Global President of the Yoruba Council Worldwide: a duly legally registered organisation with the Corporate Affairs Commission, who doubles as President, Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide, alongside other group’s leadership he holds.
Consequently, this has caused all Yoruba Youths a monumental embarrassments and ridicule, precipitating this clarification.
The National Youth Confab is a welcome idea that has received the widest attention and supports, aimed at cross fertilizing ideas on Critical fabrics of the nation, ranging from the constitution, education, agriculture, and economic advancement of the nation.
Moreover, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led administration has appointed more Youth than any other government in the history of Nigeria into Critical Sectors of the state from Ministers to SSA, DGs of government parastatals to mention a few, dispersing the unfounded accusations that President Bola Tinubu neglected the Youths, while claiming the youths are not happy is not just a paid attempt to discredit the President and cause unnecessary political attrition, more regrettably Eric is a useful tool in the hands of agent provocataurs.
Eric Oluwole for many times has been cautioned to stop parading himself as President of the Yoruba Youth Council which is in conflict with the only recognised apex Umbrella for Yoruba Youths: Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide (YCYW) wherein afterwards he deceitfully established Yoruba Afenifere Youth Organization of Nigeria (YAYON) and other ficticious coalition ethnic groups all in the name of shopping for money and attention seeking.
We therefore by this press statement want to call on law Enforcement agencies to invite and call him to order, while informing that Oluwole is an Impostor and his statement should be disregarded which are just figments of his imagination.
We therefore unequivocally
reiterate our support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led administration, while specifically appreciating the Hon. Minister for Youth Development Com. Ayodele Olawande’s various laudable initiatives and his commitment towards the convocation of the National Youth Conference in February 2025, profoundly this goes to shut down all phantom lies peddlers mongering and hatred.
This government has shown commensurate and deliberate attempts to better the lots the youths.
We firmly resolved as part of the Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide’s positive contributions towards national development:
We shall be setting the tone for the conversation and onward demand of the following amongst other requests at the CONFAB :-
A new people’s constitution.
National Youth Rights Acts.
Establishment of National Youth Development Commission with 20% Derivatives Allocation from the Federation Account and other multi-sectoral streams of incomes monthly.
Establishment of National Youth Trust Fund, while working with both micro finance, Bank of Industry and access to funding from commercial banking services.
Establishment of the Federal Ministry of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs.
Increased allocation budgets towards youth development to include 60% share benefits for the Nigerian youths in all ministries and government parastatals from federal, state, and local government levels.
35% Budgetary Allocation to the Education Sector with a the presentation of National Education Development Policy Agenda, wherein History, Security studies and constitutionalism shall be subjects in the new curriculum.
Establishment of National Agricultural Economic Development Zone Scheme to mention a few.
To establish the National Ethnic Nationalities Commission to regulate affairs of indigenous people of Nigeria.
To ensure all Ethnic Nationalities are duly recognised and named in the new constitution, while the laws be interpreted in all major languages and taught as subject in both primary and secondary schools.
Most importantly to expunge the Land Use Act and all other obnoxious laws and sections in the 1999 constitution, Military establishment clause of “We the People” and Decree 24 of the Abdulsalami Abubakar Military junta military decree., while a new People’s constitution should be made for the good people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
That INEC should be digitalised wherein Diaspora voting and one-stop regulations be enshrined with special election courts to try all election offenders.
To ensure that we maintain one National Social Security System Numbers that will work with BVN, NIN ,INEC CARDS, to mention a few.
National Plebycite and Referendum Commission to ensure that all citizens are carried along to vote Yes or No for the new People’s constitution.
Lastly, the need to consider resolutions of the last Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s National Confab reports and onward implementation respectively.
This and many more are the reasons why we unanimously endorse the Confab.
Signed:
Bashorun Isaac Aderemi Ajibola, National Publicity Secretary, Yoruba Council Worldwide.
18th December, 2024.
