Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) has expressed concerns over the hardship being suffered by the masses, urging President Bola Tinubu to take pragmatic steps to ameliorate the suffering.
While reiterating their support for the president, the elders, however, called on his administration to put in place more pragmatic, practical and visible ways of easing the pains and general hardship which Nigerians were, at present, contending with.
These were part of the resolutions of the group at its national executive council emergency meeting held in Ibadan, Oyo State
The communiqué of the meeting which was made available to newsmen in Ibadan by its secretary-general, Chief Oladipo Oyewole read: ”Rising from an Emergency Meeting on August 10, 2023, the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) affirms its total support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“However, the council observes that the suffering in Nigeria at this time is getting sharper and hardship is getting deeper among the masses. The cost of petrol has increased, the cost of transportation and cost of foodstuffs have gone up.
“While associating fully with the management abilities and capabilities of the present federal government administration, it is of concern to YCE that the Federal Government of Nigeria should put in place more pragmatic, practical and visible ways of easing the pains and general hardship which Nigerians are presently contending with’’.
The elders also expressed worry over the Emir of Ilorin and others’ publications on the Isese worship in Kwara State, lamenting that the rights of the Yoruba people of the state are being contained and infringed upon.
The elders said: ‘’The Council also observes that the socio-cultural right of Yoruba people in Kwara State is being contained, marginalized and unduly infringed upon. The Newspaper publication of the Emir of Ilorin and his emissaries has caused worries for the Yoruba Council of Elders’’.
The group stated that every Nigerian should continue to enjoy the freedom of Religious Worship as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It said: “Accordingly, Council posits that every Nigerian should continue to enjoy the freedom of Religious Worship as entrenched in the existing Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999).
“We stand firm that the Kwara Emirate should allow tradition and Socio-Cultural activities to exist and thrive for those who choose to worship God in that mode.”
‘’Therefore, Yoruba Council of Elders stand (for reprieve) with the Priestess and then accredited Lead Worshipper (Yeye Osun) who are presently being denied their rights of mode of worship’’.
Speaking on the power impasse in the Niger Republic, YCE called for diplomatic steps to prevent any action that might escalate into war in West Africa.
‘’The Yoruba Council of Elders stand firm in the resolve that the situation in NIGER should be pursued and addressed with high level diplomatic measures to forestall any action which may escalate into a situation of a war that may consume the West Coast of Africa’’, the group said.
While adding that there would be a positive outcome for the tightening of belts in Nigeria, the group however called for an effective management and monitoring such that the people would not have suffered for nothing.
It said: “We see a good outcome for the tightening of belts in Nigeria as it were while we call for effective management and monitoring such that our people would not have suffered for nothing’’.
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