The need for peace and unity among every associations and groups in Yoruba land, formed the fulcrum of the speech delivered by the Ooni of Ile-Ife, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ojaja 1, at the 2017 edition of Oodua Festival which held at the Palace Square of the ancient town, Thursday.
The foremost Yoruba traditional leader offered the advice as he received the National Coordinator of the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, and National Promoter, Olokun Festival Foundation, OFF, Otunba Gani Adams, into his palace for the grand finale of the Oodua Festival.
The Oodua Festival which kicked off in Ile-Ife, Wednesday, climaxed with the grand finale at the Ife Palace Squard, featuring dignitaries from every segments of life as well as executive members of the OPC and Oodua Progressive Movement, OPU.
The OPU is the group formed to promote the Yoruba culture, traditions and value system among Yoruba indigenes in diaspora with Otunba Adams as the World wide Convener.
The Yoruba monarch, while addressing members of the pro-Yoruba socio-cultural organisations, berated some elements among the Yoruba groups who would not follow rules but rather jump guns and break protocols..
Apparently impressed by the orderliness of members of the two groups, Ooni Ogunwusi, admonished that all Yoruba associations should make peace with themselves by forging truce that would foster development and peace in the nation.
According to him, members should swallow their pride and submit to constituted authorities to allow peace reign in the land.
His Majesty also used the occasion to correct a statement credited to him by an OPC renegade group that he said Otunba Adams should resign, said he was shocked that he could be so callously misquoted.
“A group came here and later went back to say I told them that Otunba Gani Adams should resign. There was nothing like that from this palace. I see no need why we should be jealous. The word of God is clear. He said He would bless whom he would bless. As you can all see, these fingers are not equal. One is longer than the rest. That is the order of life.
“I am not pleased with internal wrangling among the various associations in Yorubaland. All these are happening because we don’t really appreciate our potentials. We are richly blessed with good weather, better climate than the rest of the world. All we need to actually enjoy all God has endowed us with, is unity.
“On several occasions I have discussed the issue of unity among the Yoruba groups with Gani Adams and he has always convinced me that he is also on the path of peace. So, in as much as it is natural that one person must lead in an association; I will employ all factional groups to retrace their steps and make peace with their original bodies.
All I want from you is unity, not just in the group but entire Yoruba nation and I won’t keep relent until peace and unity is achieved,” he said.