The apex Yoruba nation self-determination organisation, Ilana Omo Oodua led by Professor Banji Akintoye has amended its constitution which has coverted the office of the Deputy of the group to the Chairman.

The chairman is also the Head of Administration tasked with the daily management and administration of the group.

According to a statement signed by 51 registered members of the group on Thursday, Prof Akintoye still holds the position of Supreme Political Head.

According to the statement, “The umbrella body of Yoruba Self-Determination Groups and Apex Body for the Yoruba Nation Agitation Struggle, Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide (IOOW), has amended its constitution.

“The amended constitution was passed aftermath 51 members of the organization moved a motion for a constitutional amendment and passed the constitution after 48 hours’ notice to other members to make contributions or raise a counter motion and no counter motion was raised.

“The amended constitution takes effect from Thursday 8th September, 2022.

“The amended constitution has converted the position of Deputy Alana to Chairman with the responsibility of being the Head of Administration saddled with the management of day-to-day administration of the organization while the Alana remains the Supreme Political Head.

“The amended constitution also divides the executive into Worldwide Executive Council and Extended Worldwide Executive Council.

“Another highlight of the amended constitution was the unbundling of United States of America (USA), Canada and United Kingdom (UK) Chapters. The USA Chapter was divided into Central USA, Western USA and Eastern USA while the Canada and UK Chapters were unbundled into Western and Central Canada and the UK respectively.

“The members said more chapters were established in the UK, Canada and UK to allow effective and efficient mobilisation of the Yoruba People for the actualisation of Yoruba Nation struggle and for administrative convenience.”

Chairman, IIMC

It further revealed that the confession of its IIMC chairman, Dr Adegbola Olagbegi against the group was an unfortunate personal opinion of the speaker.

It continued: “Meanwhile, the members described the statement credited to the Chairman of its outgoing Interim Management Committee (IIMC), Dr Adegbola Olagbegi wherein he declared that IOOW is no more the umbrella/apex body of Yoruba Self-Determination Group, as a betrayal of the organization and ridicule of its hard-earned status in the liberation struggle.

“Ilana Omo Oodua till today is the largest Yoruba Self-Determination Organization with valid and empirical structure in all continents of the world. The fact is that whatever affects Ilana Omo Oodua today affects the struggle as a whole.

“So, whatever the IIMC Chairman, Dr Adegbeola Olagbegi says about the group he placed over Ilana Omo Oodua is his personal opinion which is very unfortunate but we have decided to move on.

“Therefore, upon the passage of this constitution, and in the absence of validly elected Executive Council, we wish to inform members that a general meeting of all registered members of Ilana Omo Oodua worldwide will hold on Sunday 11th September, 2022 to constitute an Electoral Committee that will set up the machinery for the conduct of elections into the Worldwide Executive Council.”