Yoruba Convention tasks S/West govs on security, religious intolerance

Governors of the six states in the South-West geo-political zone of the country have been advised to design strategies to secure the Yorubaland for residents and foreign investors in the region.

The advice is based on religious intolerance and insecurity that have engulfed some parts of the country and killing investments.

In a communiqué of the first annual Yoruba International Convention held in Dubai, United Arabs Emirate (UAE), the six state governors of Yorubaland were requested to facilitate immediate take-off of projects being proposed by foreign investors so as to encourage others who may want to choose

Yorubaland as a destination for investment.

Some foreign investors at the convention had indicated their desire to start an airline, and which the participants urged the six governors to collectively approach the Federal Government for an aviation license for the proposed airline named Oduduwa Airline.

While also calling for the initiation of economic cooperation between Yorubaland and Dubai in particular, so as to take advantage of the robust informal trade between Nigeria and the region, the convention advocated the opening of Oduduwa Trade Missions in all the major advanced countries.

It opined that such outlets would forge economic cooperation between such countries and Yorubaland, adding, “the mission should be jointly promoted by all the six states of Yorubaland and supervised by the Central Association of Yorubas in such countries.

“Yoruba Associations worldwide should set up special economic development bodies in their respective country of domicile to emulate development approach and advise the six state governors from time to time,” the Communiqué stated.

Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, the Alaafin of Oyo, who presided as the patron lauded the organisers of the programme and maintained that the “South-West is one of the safest zones in the country because we practise secularism and it is part of the reasons we have rapid growth and development.”

REMI FEYISIPO