The PUNCH reports that the leadership of the organisation has been engulfed in a crisis in the last couple of weeks over allegations of fraud and embezzlement which led to the resignation of Adeniran, who was the immediate leader and chairman of the group.
Adeniran said he resigned to allow a thorough investigation into the allegation and called on Yoruba elders to set up a committee for that purpose.
But in a statement on Friday, Adeniran explained that he renounced his membership following the inability of the group to set up the required panel to investigate him.
The statement read, “Sometime late December 2022, Professor Banji Akintoye’s Personal Assistant put out a 35-minute video in which he accused me of all imaginable crimes under the sun, the most serious being an allegation of financial impropriety. Others who made similar allegations against me include some members of Ilana Omo Oduduwa and one Mr. Mayegun (of Mayegun’s Diary).
“Consequently, I reacted by calling on relevant and interested Yoruba self-determination stakeholders to institute an investigative probe panel to determine the veracity of the weighty allegations against me. In the meantime, I stepped aside from the Chairmanship and membership of Ilana Omo Oduduwa so as not to be seen to be using my office to influence the work and findings of the probe panel.
“A couple of weeks later, that is, on 10 January 2023, I repeated my call for an investigative probe panel to be set up and to make its findings known to the public within 21 (twenty-one) days. I offered to make all necessary relevant documents available to the probe panel to facilitate its work.
“However, today, Wednesday, 1 February 2023, at the expiration of the 21 days, I have yet to be invited to appear and defend myself before any probe panel.
“That being the case, I have come to the conclusion that neither my accusers nor the generality of the Yoruba public have found the allegations against me worthy of any further attention. Therefore, by implication, I have been absolved of any GUILT in the court of the public. The onus is not on me to investigate myself in order to establish my innocence. Rather, those who make egregious accusations against me in the public arena must establish their claims irrefutably by organizing such a Panel. He who accuses must offer proof of Guilt. Insomuch as no Panel has been constituted where I can contest any evidence and defend my Honor and integrity, I consider myself absolved of all accusations in the Court of Public Opinion. A deliberate and studied silence on the matter after more than twenty-one (21) days of notice, by those who made scurrilous accusations against me is proof of ill intentions and mischief. It is now entirely up to me to decide whether to seek redress in the law court. In the meantime, I hereby state as follows:
“With effect from today, Wednesday, 1 February 2023, I cease to be a member and an officer of Ilana Omo Oduduwa. My decision to exit the organisation is irrevocable and irreversible. However, I remain firmly committed to the Yoruba Nation’s struggle for self-determination.
“I hereby, with effect from today, Wednesday, 1 February 2023, sever all connections and relationships with Professor Stephen Adebanji Akintoye, the Alana and Chairman of Ilana Omo Oduduwa.
“On behalf of my family and myself, I hereby express sincere gratitude to friends, colleagues, Yoruba social media presenters and individuals, known and unknown who stood by me and my family during these trying times, and who continually expressed confidence in my integrity. This has been a source of strength to us.
“To all Yoruba sons and daughters, I say, do not despair. It is not the time to be despondent. It is the time to come together to do a review, engage in serious brainstorming, and to re-strategize, within the context of a new, well-structured organization that will be all-inclusive, and focused on Yoruba self-determination.”
