The Aare Ona Kakanfo Designate, Otunba Gani Adams, has warned youths in the country not to compromise their future and that of the country by monetising it, just as he prescribed the reversal to regional system of governance for the challenges of Nigeria to abate.
Aare Adams made the plea in Lagos on Friday while playing host to members of Nigeria Ethnic Nationality Youth Leaders Forum (NENYLF) in his Lagos home.
In a statement by the Director Of Media and Communication to the Aare designate, Femi Adepoju, the Aare submitted that the future of the country lies in the hands of youths adding, that all over the world, youths are taking over and Nigeria should not be an exception.
“Our future lies in our hands. The Youth hold the future, who will say we can’t lead because of our age when youths are taking over the leadership even in the civilised world?” he asked.
Warning that youths should not compromise their future because of money, Adams said it’s important for them to be focused and dedicated so that they can reap the fruit of their commitment to their race in no time.
“All over the world, youths are making the difference in positions of leadership. Ooni of Ife ascended the throne at 41. I started the struggle at the age of 23 and I did not allow money or material things to derail me and at 47, I am the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land “.
” And I can see the hand of God in my life because I wont compromise on my stand not to mortgage my future and the future of my people. They labelled me as stubborn, but the stubbornness is working to my advantage now” he said.
Registering the need for the restructuring of the country to enable a healthy co-existence of the diverse ethnic nationalities in the country, Aare Adams said the Yoruba have spoken through their summit last September in Ibadan that the country should revert to the tested 1963 Constitution which prescribed regionalism.
According to him, there must be justice and equity to attain unity in the country and this, he believes, could be attained if the country reverts to the application of the 1963 Constitution.
“We got independence in 1960 on the basis of Federalism. In 1959, it was agreed that for us to live together, we must adopt Federalism system of government but this was truncated by the Military through Aguyi Ironsi and the military cabal.
“Since the end of the civil war, we have been struggling to co exist, living with ourselves with suspicion and for us to be sincere with ourselves, we must agree on how to live together so that we can have a better nation.” the Aare said.
The youth leaders, who spoke one after the other, recognised the leadership qualities in the 15th Aare Ona Kakanfo and submitted that there is no one who suits the position in Yorubaland better than Adams because of his antecedent as an activist, right’s defender and unrepentant promoter of culture.
“On behalf of all ethnic youth leaders in the country, we congratulate Dr Gani Adams as the new Aare Ona Kakanfo and His Imperial Majesty, Oba Dr Lamidi Adeyemi, the Alaafin of Oyo for a well posited decision” the team echoed.
The visiting leaders are Alhaji Shettima Yerima, Northern Youth Leader and Chairman, Ethnic, Comrade Maxi Izigusoro, Ohaneze Youth Leader and Deputy Chairman,Ethnic, Comrade Eric OLuwole, Yoruba Youth Leader Worldwide and Secretary General, Ethnic Youth and Comrade Esimaje Awani, Itsekiri Youth President/ Niger Delta Youth Leader and PRO Ethnic.
