COMMUNIQUE OF
AFENIFERE RENEWAL GROUP (ARG)
IN COLLABORATION WITH
KEY YORUBA STAKEHOLDERS
ON A SUMMIT ON
YORUBA DEVELOPMENT AGENDA
(IBADAN, SEPTEMBER 23, 2010)
PREAMBLES
We, the YORUBA people, comprising more than 200 nationalities, inhabiting the Federal Republic of Nigeria, including Yoruba people in the Diaspora, met at the Cultural Centre, Mokola, Ibadan Oyo State on September 23, 2010, under the auspices of Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), in collaboration with other key Yoruba Stakeholders, to deliberate on the State of the Yoruba nation, and to take affirmative positions on the way forward, and do hereby declare as follows:
(a) Whereas we the Yoruba are a people of over 40 million, spread over ten states of Nigeria and a constituent part of the Nigerian federation;
(b) Whereas we are a people with our own history and cultural values and ethics evolved under God and successive God-given leadership in the course of our history;
(c) Whereas we recognise that the extant federal structure of Nigeria has made it difficult, if not impossible, for the Yoruba nation to fully actualise her God-endowed potentials, stymied by envy, unethical and less than honourable federal practices, as laid down by our political forebears;
(d) Whereas we observe with dismay and unequivocally reject the decadent character of political leadership, their selfish and imprudent pattern of governance, imposed across Yoruba land, through escalating acts of corruption, political brigandage, electoral manipulation, and 'do-or-die politics;
(e) Whereas we stand tall and proud of the invaluable and outstanding sacrifices and contributions of our leaders and elders past, in laying the solid foundation for selfless and responsive leadership that has endured the past decades of dilution, abuse and direct attack;
(f) Whereas the Yoruba people, having considered the political landscape and keeping in view the national interest signed, declared and published on behalf of our people on 11th of May, 1994, and subsequently on 19th February, 2005, 'THE YORUBA AGENDA' the content and context of which is hereby fully adopted again by the Summit;
(g) Whereas we observe with dismay the bloated size and over concentration of power and national resources at the central government, giving rise to ineptitude, remoteness and wholesale corruption, squandering away our federal patrimony.
Therefore we the Yoruba people gathered at the Summit, having resolved to work with other nationalities within the framework of the Nigerian federation even with its operational imperfections hereby resolve as follows:
(a) That we adopt the Yoruba Agenda as a full expression of the desire of the Yoruba people to secure considerable autonomy for the Yoruba Nation within the context of a restructured Nigeria.
(b) That we demand the Integrity of the Electoral Process capable of ensuring free, fair and credible elections in 2011.
As the 2011 General Elections draw closer, we call on our people to participate fully in the ongoing electoral process by registering to vote, vote for their preferred candidates, and ensure that their votes not only count, but insist on being seen to have counted.
We also call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and all other stakeholders to ensure that the votes as expressed at the polls are reflected in the outcome of the elections.
We UNEQUIVOCALLY declare that the Yoruba nation will REJECT and RESIST the imposition of candidate(s) through undemocratic processes on the people in every part of Yorubaland.
(c) That Yoruba electorate must rise up as one nation under one God, and ensure the emergence of political office holders who will truly serve the people, and espouse the 'Omoluabi' ethics and values true to our heritage as a people.
(d) We reiterate the call for True Federalism to enable the constituent parts of the country develop at their own pace, and in accordance with their God-given potentials and capabilities, guided by the peculiarities of their history, cultural norms and inclinations.
(e) We call for immediate steps towards Regional Cooperation and Integration among the States in Yorubaland to boost social and economic development.
(f) That it has become imperative more than ever before for a composite Yoruba Development Agenda that will drive and guide our developmental process.
In realisation of the immediate imperatives for good governance in all Yorubaland, the Summit resolves to table the following as the minimum irreducible demands of our people on all present and future political office holders:
1. Education:
Having regard to the fact that Education is our heritage, our tradition and a right, and having regard that the present unacceptable quality of education at all levels in Yorubaland (as evidenced by the abysmally poor school certificate results), we demand an immediate concerted effort to stem the rot, and make formal education FREE and COMPULSORY to all up Yoruba children up to the age of 18.
2. Healthcare:
The Summit observed the appalling state of Healthcare service delivery arising from low resource allocation to the sector.
Availability and accessibility to good healthcare delivery services is a significant factor in the human development index (HDI), and a core function of governance, we demand an urgent improvement in the state of healthcare service delivery and insist that healthcare can be comprehensively free.
3. Water Supply:
Potable water is vital to survival, yet this is today very scarce in most parts of Yorubaland, with its attendant consequences on the well-being of our people.
We therefore call on our government to make supply of potable water a priority agenda in their developmental programme.
4. Wealth Creation:
We re-state that the wealth of a nation is directly correlated to the wealth of its citizens. We demand a conscious and determined effort at Wealth Creation as a policy of state, and not tokenism in the guise of poverty alleviation.
To this end, we demand more that more attention be paid to vocational training and re-training and integrated rural development.
5. Other Infrastructure:
We note with dismay the abysmally poor state of all essential infrastructures for transportation, industrialisation, commerce, tourism and social recreation in the land. Their appalling state has left the masses of our people further impoverished and disempowered.
We therefore call on all levels of government to develop and implement a more creative approach to the funding and provision of these critical amenities.
6. Civil Service
We recognize that a re-invigorated and well-structured Civil Service is the engine room of responsive governance, and therefore demand the reinvigoration of the sector to deliver better performance in the service of our people.
Conclusion:
Summit is of the view that Nigeria's fundamental problems in the past have been bad leadership, incompetent drivers and wrong advisers. These need to be addressed across all levels of political leadership in Yorubaland.
Summit therefore encourages Yoruba sons and daughters, both in Nigeria and in the Diaspora, to stand up, take their destiny in their hands and fight for their rights.
The 2010 Post-Summit Action Group (P-SAG) will reach out and mobilise all Yoruba men and women everywhere, and seek their support towards implementing effective follow-up actions that will ensure that the resolutions of the Summit are taken beyond words to the realm of action and performance.
Without doubt, the time to fight for justice and make Yorubaland work is now!
Oodua a gbe wa o!
Signed:
Mr. Olawale Oshun, National Chairman, Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG)
Mr. Lai Oyeduntan - 08034086514
Chairman, Programmes Committee
Chairman, Post-Summit Action Group
Mr. Dipo Famakinwa - 08022875737
Secretary, Programmes Committee
Secretary, Post-Summit Action Group
Mr. Rasaq Oladosu - 08083169697
Member, Post-Summit Action Group
Mr. Oye Oyewumi - 08033001056
Member, Post-Summit Action Group
Mr. Kayode Ogundamisi
Member, Post-Summit Action Group (Diaspora)
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