Onigbinde, Ojudu, Farotimi, others birth new Yoruba group

A coalition of prominent Yoruba leaders, professionals and activists, including Akinyemi Onigbinde, Babafemi Ojudu and Dele Farotimi, have given birth to the Omo Odùduwà Collective, a socio-civic platform aimed at promoting accountability, democratic values and national renewal in Nigeria.

This was announced in a statement titled “Omo Odùduwà Collective: A Call to Conscience, Justice and National Renewal,” and made available to The Eagle Online on Tuesday.

The statement was jointly signed in Lagos by the Convener, Prof. Akinyemi Onigbinde; Secretary, Mr Kazeem Olasupo; Sen. Babafemi Ojudu, Mr Dele Farotimi; Dr Adeolu Oyekan, Dr Olasunkanmi Olapeju; Mr Samuel Adebisi and Mr Kayode Ogundamisi.

According to the statement, the group was established by concerned Yoruba men and women drawn from academia, business, the professions, public service, culture and civil society who are committed to the future of Yorubaland and Nigeria.

It explained that the collective emerged from what it described as a profound sense of historical responsibility and a conviction that Nigeria has reached a critical stage where citizens must openly discuss the state of the nation and the values needed to shape its future.

It noted that the purpose of the group was neither ethnic antagonism nor partisan opposition, adding that they sought a Nigeria founded on justice, fairness, accountability, competence, and respect for diversity.

According to the collective, the Yoruba people have a responsibility to contribute to national renewal, not through ethnic triumphalism but through principled and moral leadership.

It said the Omo Odùduwà Collective is not a political party, adding that it is a platform for reflection, dialogue, advocacy, research, and civic engagement.

They pledged commitment to defending the ethical foundations of public life and ensuring that future generations inherited a society where truth, integrity, and justice remained stronger than power, expediency, or ethnic loyalty.

It said: “For generations, the Yoruba people earned respect through their commitment to truth, education, democratic engagement, accountability, and social progress.

“Leaders were judged not by the praise they attracted but by the welfare they delivered. Criticism was not regarded as disloyalty but as a necessary instrument of accountability.

“We are concerned that these values are increasingly being displaced by a political culture marked by opportunism, intolerance of dissent, ethnic chauvinism, and the normalization of unaccountable power.

“Equally troubling is the growing attempt to portray criticism of government as hostility to the Yoruba people.

“Such a position is contrary to Yoruba history and political culture, which have always encouraged robust debate and independent thinking.”

According to the group, after closely observing the administration of President Bola Tinubu over the last three years, they acknowledged that many of Nigeria’s challenges predate the present administration.

“Millions of Nigerians today face severe economic hardship, rising costs of living, declining purchasing power, food insecurity, unemployment, and growing uncertainty about the future.

“The issue is not whether reforms are necessary. It is whether those reforms are pursued within a framework that places the welfare of citizens at its centre.

“Economic policies must be judged not only by statistics and projections but by their impact on human lives.

“As the nation approaches the 2027 electoral cycle, we urge the political class to focus less on politics and more on rescuing the Nigerian state.

“We believe urgent national consensus is required on a number of critical issues.”

The group called for constitutional restructuring, saying that Nigeria’s diversity cannot continue to be managed through excessive centralisation.

It said genuine federalism, devolution of powers, fiscal federalism, and greater autonomy for states remained essential to national stability and progress.

The group also drew attention to insecurity, noting that the current centralised security architecture has proved inadequate against the growing threats of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and violent crimes.

It said they support the establishment of constitutionally regulated state policing structures alongside broader investments in education, job creation, and economic inclusion.

On the economy, it urged the government to prioritise policies that would create jobs, support businesses, stimulate production, and restore hope, especially among young Nigerians.