Groups clamoring for the independence of the Yoruba nation have vowed not to relent in their campaigns.
They recently revealed plans to present their case at the 76th United Nations General Assembly scheduled to hold in September.
Ilana Omo Oodua, the umbrella body of Yoruba self-determination groups, endorsed the petition by the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination (NINAS), urging the Nigerian Government to conduct a referendum.
In a zoom conversation organized by UK-based Heritage Multimedia TV on Tuesday, one of the leaders of Ilana Omo Odua, Wale Adeniran, stated that the UN General Assembly would be an opportunity to explain the rationale behind the Yoruba nation agitation to world leaders, TheNation reports.
Adeniran, a pioneer Commissioner of Education in Osun State and former Director of Institute of African Studies at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife said he would speak to Yoruba historian, Banji Akintoye, concerning participating in the session as part of efforts to drum support for the struggle.
The 76th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 76) will be held from 14th to 30th September 2021 in New York, US. The first day of the high-level general debate will be Tuesday, 21 September 2021.
Adeniran was quoted as saying, “That’s a golden opportunity for us to present our case forcefully, before the entire world.
“During that one week, tell Yoruba people all over the world to come to New York and the UN general assembly.
“I am going to tell Prof. Akintoye that we would have to be part of the event in the US.”
He also gave an update about the Yoruba nation petition submitted to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
He added, “The ball is in our court to begin to push our case and continue to shout it.
“We’ve submitted our letter and it has been acknowledged; it is now left for us to embark on aggressive propaganda for the ICC to look into the case. They are humans too.
“That we have filed a petition is not sufficient. We have to keep making noise about it.”
Meanwhile, Akintoye, also speaking at the virtual session, charged all supporters not to give up on the struggle.
While he commended the efforts of the media, he criticized those spreading rumors and fake news about Sunday Igboho.