By SCM Correspondent
LAGOS, Nigeria – A galaxy of prominent Yoruba academics, professionals, politicians, and civil society activists have announced the formation of a new pan-Yoruba group, the Omo Odùduwà Collective, to address the country’s worsening economic and security crises.
They lambasted the rising tide of political opportunism and the dangerous narrative that criticizing the federal government equates to hostility toward the Yoruba race. We are concerned that these values are increasingly being displaced by a political culture marked by opportunism, intolerance of dissent, ethnic chauvinism, and the normalization of unaccountable power,” the statement read. Equally troubling is the growing attempt to portray criticism of government as hostility to the Yoruba people. Such a position is contrary to Yoruba history and political culture
The group, which includes notable figures such as political strategist Senator Babafemi Ojudu, fiery legal practitioner Barrister Dele Farotimi, and renowned academic Professor Akinyemi Onigbinde, stated that Nigeria has reached a critical juncture where “silence is no longer a virtue.”
In a strongly-worded foundation manifesto co-signed by its leaders, the collective delivered a biting assessment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration over the last three years. While acknowledging that Nigeria’s systemic challenges predate the current government, the group insisted that the administration must take full responsibility for its policy choices, which they claim have plunged millions of citizens into severe economic hardship.
The group expressed deep concern over the erosion of traditional Yoruba political culture, which historically valued accountability, truth, and robust intellectual debate. They lambasted the rising tide of political opportunism and the dangerous narrative that criticizing the federal government equates to hostility toward the Yoruba race.
”We are concerned that these values are increasingly being displaced by a political culture marked by opportunism, intolerance of dissent, ethnic chauvinism, and the normalization of unaccountable power,” the statement read.
“Equally troubling is the growing attempt to portray criticism of government as hostility to the Yoruba people. Such a position is contrary to Yoruba history and political culture.”
The collective emphasized that the Yoruba people must contribute to Nigeria’s national renewal not through “ethnic triumphalism,” but through principled and moral leadership.
Evaluating the state of the nation under the current administration, the Omo Odùduwà Collective noted that skyrocketing costs of living, food insecurity, unemployment, and a severe decline in purchasing power have left Nigerians highly uncertain about the future.
While the group did not dismiss the necessity of economic reforms, it questioned the execution and human cost of the current policies.
”The issue is not whether reforms are necessary. It is whether those reforms are pursued within a framework that places the welfare of citizens at its centre. Economic policies must be judged not only by statistics and projections but by their impact on human lives,” the group argued.
They further called out the “widening disconnect” between the daily suffering of the masses and the flamboyant lifestyles of public officials, demanding immediate fiscal discipline, empathy, and an unbiased anti-corruption drive from the government.
Three Pillars for National Consensus
As politicians begin to strategize for the 2027 electoral cycle, the collective urged the political class to temporarily halt partisan politics and focus instead on rescuing the Nigerian state. To achieve this, the group proposed an urgent national consensus across three critical areas:
Constitutional Restructuring: The group insisted that Nigeria’s vast diversity can no longer be managed through excessive centralization. They demanded a return to genuine federalism, fiscal federalism, and greater devolution of powers to the states.
Security Architecture: Labeling the current centralized security apparatus “inadequate” to combat banditry, terrorism, and kidnapping, the group threw its weight behind the establishment of constitutionally regulated state policing structures.
Economic Intervention: The coalition tasked the federal government to urgently prioritize policies that stimulate local production, support small businesses, and create sustainable jobs to tackle alarming levels of hunger and poverty, particularly among the youth.
Not A Political Party
The signatories clarified that the Omo Odùduwà Collective is not a political party but a civil platform dedicated to reflection, dialogue, research, and civic engagement.
The statement was officially signed by Professor Akinyemi Onigbinde (Convener), Kazeem Olasupo (Honorary Secretary), Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Barrister Dele Farotimi, Dr. Adeolu Oyekan, Dr. Olasunkanmi Olapeju, Samuel Arinloye Adebisi, and Kayode Ogundamisi.
The group vowed to remain an active watchdog, defending the ethical foundations of public life and ensuring that truth and justice prevail over political expediency.
