Crisis Hits Yoruba Nation As Spokesperson Resigns

Maxwell Adeleye, Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide’s communications secretary, has resigned from his position and withdrawn support for the Yoruba Nation.

At the same time, he requested that Prof. Banji Akintoye, the former head of the organization that led the Yoruba people’s campaign for self-determination, completely resign from the group in order to allow for a thorough audit of his management.

Adeleye made this call in a statement on Friday night and made available to journalists.

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Reports made available to The Eagle reveals that Akintoye stepped down from his position in December 2022. In a statement announcing his resignation, the group’s General Secretary, Tunde Amusat, said the former Yoruba Nation leader handed the baton of leadership to his former Deputy, Prof. Wale Adeniran.

Amusat claimed Akintoye handed over the mantle of leadership to Adeniran, citing old age and a weakened body system as his reasons.

But in his statement on Friday, Adeleye revealed that he had stepped down as Akintoye’s Communications Manager since August 2022, and asked the former Yoruba Nation leader to allow a proper audit of his tenure.

“In view of recent developments in the Yoruba Self-Determination Struggle, I wish to inform all the Yoruba People Worldwide that I have stepped aside and withdrawn from the agitation for an Independent Yoruba Nation under its current leadership with effective from 6th January 2023.

“May I inform members of the public that I stepped aside as the Communications Manager of Professor Banji Akintoye on 5th August 2022 and finally cut off communication with the Historian on 31st October 2022. I have also resigned from my membership of Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide effective from Monday 2nd January 2023.

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“Those of you that sent your hard-earned money to your heroes should hold those you sent money to for accountability and leave me alone. I will no longer absolve bullets for your heroes. Anyone or group of persons who knows he sent me money should provide proof of payment into my account so that I can respond to the person appropriately.

“I call on Professor Banji Akintoye to also step aside 101% from the Yoruba Nation Self-Determination Struggle so that his account of stewardship and all the funds he has collected can be interrogated by the Yoruba people,” the statement read.