From Ayodele Samuel and Zainab Yusuf, Lagos
As confusion continues to trail delegates’ nomination and agenda of the south west ahead of the proposed national conference, self determination groups in the region yesterday met to draw up fresh agenda to the conference.
A fresh gathering led by Elder statesman , Dr Tunji Braithwaite and founder of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Dr Fredrick Fasehun, under the auspices of “Pan-Yoruba Agenda for the 2014 National Conference” at a two day workshop yesterday insisted that all yoruba views must be harmonized in the agenda to be presented by the region at the national conference.
Fasehun said many self determination groups were not represented at the meeting where the agenda for yoruba land was formulated.
“There are 29 groups here today, including my group (OPC), which were not invited for the meeting at Ishara on Monday where an agenda for Yorubaland for the proposed conference was adopted.
“The groups here were the ones that fought for topics in the agenda for the national conference,” he said.
He said that the meeting of the self determination groups was to come up with their own agenda for national conference. He however said the group was not opposed to the harmonization of all agenda for the Yorubas at the national conference.
“The decision here is not hostile; it would be harmonized with the larger yoruba interest.”
Braithwaite said even though, the National Conference is considered historical, no force within or outside government should attempt to stop it or tele-guide its outcome.
According to Braithwaite, the amalgamation that brought Southern and Northern protectorates together in 1914 was fraudulent. He said this is therefore the right time to revisit it.
The amalgamation of 1914 was not binding on Nigerians both in legal and political context.
“Our sovereignty as a people has stopped the amalgamation from binding itself on us. It is time to re-examine it. All the constitutions since 1914 are fraudulent. We need to revisit it and have in place a brand new constitution. It is when we have new constitution that we can start talking about 2015 election,” Braithwaite said.
