The Ooni of Ife, (HRM) Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has endorsed the appointment of Dr. Olakunle Nurudeen Balogun as the new National Liason Director of Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide (YCYW).
Ooni, on Tuesday, while endorsing Balogun who had earlier been appointed by the YCYW, said the gesture was to sustain progressive developments for the Yorubaland and Nigeria as a whole, and to create a robust and solid administrative structures for the pan-Yoruba youth group across the length and breadth of the South West, nationally and internationally.
According to a statement issued by the group and signed by its President, Aremo Oladotun Hassan, “His Majesty also instructed the Liason Directorate to seize and utilize the opportunity to develop good programs, pivotal on Security and Nation Building and ensure absolute Peace and Unity among all the Yoruba Indigenous Youths Organizations.
“The newly appointed Liason Director, Dr. Balogun, is a medical practitioner who hails from Ile Ife in Osun State.
“Prior to his appointment, he has led several Students, Youths and Indigenous Groups which these folds of experiences has earned him the confidence to be overseeing some Cultural Events & Programs for the most sought monarch in Africa, His Imperial Majesty, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, Ojaja II.
“He’s currently serving in the most supreme Board of Ile Ife, which governs all the affairs of the ancient city as the Deputy Secretary, Ife Development Board,” the group said.
In his acceptance speech, Balogun set an aggressive and pragmatic diplomacy master plan towards driving home his vision for the new appointment. While thanking the Ooni for his prayers and blessings, Balogun was full of appreciation to the YCYW’s President, Hassan for the honor done on him.
“He assured in all fairness to discharge the duties as the official intermediary voice between the Council and the entire World at large while his Directorate will be an affiliation of the Ooni Directorate of Media & Public Affairs.
“He also gave his words that, he shall ensure the fulfilment of the building of the Oduduwa World Emporium Centre through Launching which will house the International Secretariat of YCYW and this will be formally unveil at his Inauguration and Installation Ceremony as the Asoju Odo Ile Oodua (Yoruba Youths Ambassador) in commemorating His Majesty’s birthday anniversay sometimes in October, 2019.”
The group announced that the National Liason Directorate shall be hosting a Yoruba Youth Stakeholders Meeting on Sunday 18th August, 2019 tentatively at the Palace of the Ooni of Ife, Osun State by 2.00PM, which hopes to revitalize and unite all Yoruba Youths Leaders and Stakeholders respectively as mandated.
“Based on this premises, It’s crystal clear, that the YCYW’s noble vision and objective are predicated on the consolidated development of the late sage: Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s credos, promotion of our aesthetic cultural heritage and values, delivery of succinct dividends of democracy, social justice rights and absolute welfare of our members and by extension all Yorubas globally.
“Similarly, our unrelenting efforts against inherent dangers of Fulani Armed banditry in the recent weeks has successfully yielded quantum positives, laying the solid foundation for a new paradigm and reviving our consciousness as a people based on our recently launched F’olumo Security Summit.
“The proposed Inauguration Program is aimed at cross fertilizing ideas on the need to see Peace and Security as our collective responsibility, in consonant with best standard practice on information and intelligence sharing.
“The Council being the apex umbrella body and vanguard voice of all Yoruba Youths, hence our strategic roles is towards Nation Building and Economic Growth.
“We are a key stakeholder in the affairs of Yorubaland.
“That is the much reason we are a pivot in the Nation Building and partners in progress on National Development, based on this premise, we are poised to offer our hands of supports to governments at all levels towards attainment of a sustainable Peace, Economic Growth and Development in the Southwest Zone and the National level.
“We hope to align on the call for the convocation of a National Youth Summit by 30th September to 1st October, 2019.”
“We felicitate with all our Muslim brothers and sisters on the forthcoming Eid – Kabir (Odun Ileya) which has been slated for August 10th and 11th, alongside all Nigerian youths on the World Youth Day coming up on the 12th of August and all traditional religion practitioners on the Iseese Day Festival slated for 20th August,” the statement read.
