On the occasion of
Ife Day celebration on Saturday, myriad of eminent Yorubas and new breeds of
Yoruba progenitors stormed Ile-Ife for the celebration of 2014 Ife Day.
Among the
prominent figures blessed the occasion were governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode
Fayemi, the newly appointed Minister for Police Affairs, Alhaji Abdul Jelili
Adesiyan, Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, one of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial aspirants in Osun State, Senator
Iyiola Omisore, Mallam Yusuf Ali (SAN) amongst others.
At the event, held at Government Technical College, Ifewara Road, Ile Ife, the chairman of the occasion, Mallam Yusuf Ali harped on the need for Yoruba leaders to embrace unity for the growth of the race.
Describing Yorubaland
as the most homogenous tribal group in Nigeria, the lawyer said “there is need
for leaders of the Yorubas to preach, promote and practice inclusive regional
integration, which can further advance the cause and collective interest of the
race”.
According to him,
“state creation was only meant for administrative convenience and not to divide
the people. It is undoubted that there is strength in unity. Sadly, Yorubaland
is the most divided. Situation where Yorubas are expected to put forward names
of people for national programmes and responsibilities and only names from one
group are forwarded will further polarise the people.
“This kind of
development will not be in the interest of the descendants of Oduduwa because a
group is only as strong as it is united, as weak as it is divided”, Ali
asserted. Earlier in his remark, the President of Ife Development Board (IDB)
Professor Muibi Opeloyeru, stated that Ife Day was designed to promote
community self help projects, believing that no government could cater for all
the basic needs of the communities alone.
He added that
“with the theme of this year celebration, “Industrialization For Youth
Development”, IDB intended to encourage small and medium scale industries
purposely to tackle unemployment challenges, which have forced youths to take
to perilous commercial motorcycle business otherwise known as Okada riders.
Prof
Opeloyeru, urged the federal government to ensure resumption of work at Ife Dam
project as well as dualisation of Mayfair-Iremo-Ilesa road.
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