Certainly, things are no longer at ease among the big-wigs of Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, a socio-cultural group representing the Yoruba race home and in the diaspora as things have completely fallen apart and centre has refused to hold.
The Message International online gathered that the rancor in the organisation championing the cause of a Yoruba nation has degenerated into serious crisis leading to the expulsion of one of the co-founders, Mr Temitope Ogunwumiju, and consequently a disclaimer placed on his person by the current leader of the group, Prof Banji Akintoye on reasons not yet fully established as obtained from the internet by our correspondent.
Also a video discrediting Ogunwumiju, released by Awuyewuye Campaigner, Ilana US, Oba Khalid of Saki is also going viral on social media as at the time of filling this report.
However, an impecable source who preferred anonymity disclosed to The Message International that the disclaimer of Ogunwumiju is totally unwarranted as nothing could have informed treating with him disdain, being the one highly instrumental to the registration of the organization in the US.
"Left to me, Ogunwumiju's disclaimer is uncalled for. Instead, whatever the internal wrangling could have been, Baba should have chosen the part of peace and resolve everything amicably. I learnt Ogunwumiju is against certain issues that perhaps may rub the image of the organization with the mud, but his view was misconsrued and that was what led to the crisis," the source submitted.
In a bid to clear the air on the crisis , The Message International contacted Ogunwumiju on Thursday, May 13, 2022, he reacted, "The fact is that one of our directors wanted me to play ball by using the government approvals to raise funds here in America for our personal gains because from his submissions, Akintoye has made his money and we should also make ours. I bluntly refused his idea. Then, he advised we should change the name of the organization to ours which I refused as well.
He therefore left sometime in October last year as a member of the organization not knowing he faked his exit. He was now the one who came back to lead those who planned all these bad mouthing and dragging against me as he was liaising with Akintoye behind feeding him information that I was going about raising millions of dollars in the name of the organization. I never raised $1 from any of the corporations or any individual that could help us because of what had transpired and his pressure on me to do that.
"He was disappointed when he left and his coming back is what we are seeing now. Unfortunately, they don’t know America isn’t like Nigeria where you can claim what’s not yours as non of them, including Akintoye was listed on our registration we did here. In fact and for records, I’m the owner of the instruments bearing the name of the organization in the entire U.S."
Speaking further, Ogunwumiju expressed total dismay on what he described as unlawful activities of the Akintoye led faction of the organization which according to him was a game of deceit targeted at milking unsuspecting and innocent Nigerians of Yoruba extraction in the diaspora which he vehemently disagreed with; hence his persecution.
"One of the main reasons again I was picked on to be crushed by the Akintoye faction which I premise is the master stroke of their action was that I criticized openly the fake five million petition signing as a tool by politicians to be used by politicians that are in the Prof's caucus and how it was all a deception on the gullible Yoruba in diaspora whose data is captured to be used by these people and that it’s not a norm of the UN to demand help with declaration of a nation. That hit them hard as Tony Nandi (NINAS) and Sola Salako have openly come out to discredit the ongoing petition as a fake. Don’t forget, Akintoye was removed as the chairman of NINAS on allegation of the N350Miliion bribe paid him by our dear Vice President Yemi Osibajo."
On whether the Organisation is actually now on the right track regarding its primary aims and objectives and what actually informed his porpurted disclaimer by Akintoye, Ogunmiju reacted,. "Obviously not. The organisation has lost focus. Prof Akintoye called me seven days ago to “please” allow the man come back as a member and to be made an admin and I agreed subject to consensus meeting by our members but alas, they’d already planned a palace coup unfortunately they’ve met their match and a disappointment after the meeting; hence the disclaimer."
Asked to divulge on the disclaimer palaver, he said, "I don't think I can say anything further on that for now because the case is already in court. We're all waiting for the outcome of that. But all I know is that the truth shall prevail at the end of it all."
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