A Yoruba socio-cultural group, Omolùábí, has decried the alleged promotion of the idea of cow colonies across the country, vowing that the Yoruba would not surrender any part of their lands for such project.
Speaking at a Colloquium with the theme: “Omolúàbí Principles: A call to Return”, a former director of the Institute of African Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Prof. Banji Akintoye, lamented that the country had not practised true
Federalism, where each region could manage its resources for its development.
Akintoye maintained that the country had wasted the opportunity to lead the rest of the African continent because it had thrown away the culture of integrity, selflessness, fairness and truth, among others, as conceptualised by the Yoruba in the Omoluabi concept, and exchanged these virtues for greed and
corruption.
He added that the country was, however, not beyond redemption, stressing that the return to the adoption of these highly prized virtues would drive the country to the path of good governance.
Some of the other Yoruba leaders, who spoke at the Colloquium, emphasised that only a return to the values system and cherished virtues of integrity, hard work
and selflessness, among others, as conceptualised in the Omoluabi principles by the Yoruba could help to restore the lost glory of the
country.
The discussants, including Sen. Femi Okunrounmu, Prof. Banji Akintoye; and the retired Archbishop of Ilesha Diocese of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Ayo Ladigbolu, among others, made this call at a programme in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Okurounmu, on his part, said the youths should take more interest in the running of the affairs of the country, urging them to step into leadership roles as the elders currently managing the country had failed
woefully.
He urged Nigerians to return to the path of honour and integrity to fix the myriads of problems hindering the socio-economic development of the country.
Ladigbolu also challenged Nigerians to embrace the right attitude and be determined to pursue the greater good of the country, saying that greed and selfishness had dealt a serious blow to the desire of the country to attain
greatness.
Other speakers on the occasion were the former national chairman of the Alliance for Democracy, Sen. Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa; Otunba Deji Osibogun; Chairman, Agbekoya, Mr. Abe Kole; and social commentator and CEO, Think
Thank Forum, Opeyemi Agbaje, among
others.
