Ibadan:Yoruba leaders from various socio-political and advocacy groups have established a new platform called Yoruba Parapo, aimed at fostering unity, consultation, and collective action among the Yoruba people.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the decision to create Yoruba Parapo was made after extensive consultations on various challenges facing the Southwest, such as insecurity, economic instability, political marginalization, and constitutional issues. Dr. Olatunde Amusat, the Protem Administrative Secretary of Yoruba Parapo, conveyed this development in a statement issued on Wednesday.
The platform is designed to serve as common ground for consultation and consensus-building among diverse Yoruba organizations and interest groups. Amusat emphasized that the initiative was adopted unanimously following multiple meetings attended by leaders and stakeholders from a wide range of Yoruba organizations. They highlighted the necessity of a unified platform to articulate and advance Yoruba interests and concerns effectively.
Amusat noted that other major ethnic groups have similar umbrella organizations for consultation and collective engagement. Consequently, Yoruba leaders agreed on the need to establish a comparable mechanism that aggregates diverse viewpoints and coordinates shared interests into collective action.
Yoruba Parapo aims to foster engagement on issues like security, economic development, cultural preservation, and constitutional restructuring. Additionally, it will address regional cooperation and the welfare of the Yoruba people. Amusat assured that affiliated organizations would maintain their identities, leadership structures, philosophies, and operational independence, emphasizing that the platform will not replace or diminish existing organizations.
He described Yoruba Parapo as a response to urgent challenges confronting the Yoruba people, calling for greater unity and strategic engagement. The platform’s establishment is seen as a timely and necessary step, as no single organization or leader can tackle the numerous challenges alone.
Member organizations will be represented in Yoruba Parapo’s highest decision-making body to ensure broad representation. Amusat invited various groups, including self-determination groups, socio-cultural organizations, traditional institutions, and professional associations, to join the initiative, urging contributions from all stakeholders committed to the Yoruba nation’s progress and security.
Notable participants in the meeting held in Ibadan included Dr. Oriyomi Attey, Dr. Paul Bankole, Chief Banji Ayiloge, and several others. Amusat affirmed Yoruba Parapo’s commitment to dialogue, peaceful engagement, and the pursuit of a prosperous and dignified future for the Yoruba people.