Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan
One of the daughters of the former premier of the defunct Western Region, Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu, Thursay expressed disappointment over the absence of governors from the Southwest region at a book launch in honor of her father, Chief Obafemi Awolowo
Awolowo-Dosumu, who spoke at the presentation of the Yoruba translation of an autobiography of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, titled ‘AWO’, organised by Alaroye Newspaper, a Yoruba tabloid, lamented that it was unfortunate that the governors in the region, namely Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Gboyega Oyetola (Osun), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), shunned the programme while only Seyi Makinde (Oyo), sent his deputy, Mr. Rauf Olaniyan, to represent him.
THISDAY learnt that all the six governors from the region were duly invited to the event which was held at the International Conference Center, University of Ibadan.
The event was attended by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, Onimeko of Imeko, Oba Benjamin Alabi; Aare Ona Kankanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams; and Mr. Yinka Odumakin, among others.
Awolowo-Dosumu noted that it was disheartening that none of the governors invited was present at the event.
She said: “We called this gathering in the name of our father, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. I am so delighted to see the Alaafin of Oyo here.
“It is disheartening that only one state governor sent a representative. I don’t know whether the governors do not like Chief Awolowo. I encourage Yoruba elders to be visionary and not forsake their visions. Awolowo never forsook his vision for the Yoruba race, and that’s why we’re all benefitting from it.”
The guest speaker, Prof. Banji Akintoye, urged youths in Yorubaland to emulate Awolowo and continue with his legacies, and urging the Yoruba people to reject never to be dominated by people from other regions in the country.
He said: “We thank Alaroye for this. This is a wakeup call to the Yoruba race, so that our nation, the Yoruba nation, will not be brought down by anybody. It is enough that we have been submerged in Nigeria as a county, nevertheless, we should not allow the submergence to destroy us.
“There is an intention by a small group of people to reduce the Yoruba race. It is a deliberate attempt by the few people to destroy the people of Nigeria. The Yoruba people must not permit. We must continue with our culture of hospitality, but if anybody or any group threaten our land, we have the strength and power to expunge them from our land, and we will.”
The Publisher of the newspaper, Adedayo Alao, said the event was organised to give the Yoruba people opportunity to bare their mind to their leaders, saying “the security situation is getting worse by the day. Truly, things are happening. The public was not invited to the security summit that held on Tuesday. It is not fair and not in the interest of the Yoruba people. If our people are harsh now, it is because we have been neglected.”
