Southwest group begins campaign for creation of Yoruba Obas’ Forum

A Southwest group, Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movements (AYDM), has begun campaign for the creation of O’odua Council of Traditional Rulers that will coordinate the regional affairs of traditional rulers across the six states of Yorubaland, including Delta, Kwara and Kogi.

The AYDM, which is an alliance of 130 pan-Yoruba socio-cultural groups spread across the old Western Region, will also extend its function to countries like Togo, Benin Republic and Ghana, where Yoruba people are scattered.

A veteran journalist and expert on peace building and conflict prevention, Adewale Adeoye, who presided over a two-day meeting in Lagos from Monday till yesterday, said the campaign for Obas in the South-West to have a regional body is imperative to give more meaning and respect to the traditional institution.

The group said it had set up a committee that would visit Yoruba traditional rulers in the six South-West states, including Delta, Kogi and Kwara, adding that over 100 representatives from the South-West, Itsekiri, Edo, Kwara and Kogi attended the two-day event.

Representatives also came from West African countries. The AYDM said the traditional rulers are by age-long convention expected to defend the indigenous values of their people and protect their ancestral land physically and spiritually.

It also said there are conflicts across Yoruba territories that could be easily resolved by the traditional rulers. The group said it was impressed by the response of traditional rulers on the issue, while praising Oba Olatunde for his forthrightness and determination to ensure the platform of all descendants of Oduduwa traditional rulers emerges.

The AYDM said it was aware of the differences between the Obas but that it was optimistic that the AYDM would be able to bring the traditional rulers together on the basis of the Lowest Common Factor (LCM) of Yoruba interests.

The forum also said it would address boundary issues, disputes within and among Yoruba communities, preservation of ancestral land resources, artifacts, history, language and culture.