The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) has opposed the idea of carving out a Yoruba nation from Nigeria, advocating instead for true federalism within the country.
In a statement released on Sunday, the group reiterated its commitment to a unified Nigeria, emphasizing the need for a restructured federal system.
“We have perused the document on the position of YSDM on the state of the nation and their views for the Yoruba race to be separated from Nigeria.
“The Yoruba Council of Elders remains firm in its position that the entity called and known as Nigeria should remain as one Nigeria,” part of the statement read.
The YCE acknowledged widespread feelings of marginalization among the Yoruba people due to the current federal structure but emphasized that the majority are against secession.
Instead, they advocated for a return to the regional autonomy envisioned by Nigeria’s founding fathers.
“Accordingly, the YCE has pooled-in all shades of thoughts which shows that the majority of the Yoruba race feel cheated by the present lop-sided arrangement of the federating powers but they are solidly against going away from the Nigerian arrangement.
“They would rather go back to the agreement of our founding fathers when the region administration was autonomous,” the statement added.
The council stressed its support for a restructured Nigeria, where states operate independently while contributing to a unified central administration.
They compared their vision to the American federal system, where states function with considerable autonomy.
“YCE, therefore, stands firmly on the position of the founding fathers who maintained togetherness but operated independently and contributed their quota to foster administration at the centre.
To this extent, we would rather have a restructured Nigeria which will allow states to function independently as part of a whole,” the group noted.
The YCE further called for unity and efficient management, leveraging the socio-cultural strengths of Nigeria’s diverse regions to foster national growth and development.
“Let it be known that the strength of the unity lies in the socio-cultural inheritance of each section of the country and these can be deployed through education and efficiency of management. Our great country must rise again and we all will be in it together,” the statement concluded.
