YCE

By Ola Ajayi

IBADAN — PROMINENT Yoruba leaders within the Yoruba Council of Elders, YCE, are flexing muscles over who controls the apex Yoruba apolitical organization.

From L-R: •Olajide: Accused of causing factions in YCE and Agbede: Left YCE over leadership tussle

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The leadership crisis reached the crescendo, on Tuesday, as one of the feuding factions has dumped the once united organization.

Before the crisis created a crack within the council, it used to speak with one voice on issues that were germane to the unity and progress of Yoruba people.

Though, the Secretary-General of the association, Dr. Kunle Olajide argued there was no split within YCE, but some elders on the other side, insisted that with the composition of the new executive members put together by Dr Olajide, there is no way they can continue to associate with them.

After a meeting held in the Bodija residence of the first female Professor of Library Science in Africa, Prof. Toun Ogunsheye, it was resolved that the Senior Elders Forum would continue holding its meetings regularly.

Cold war between Olajide and Agbede

Though, there had been a cold war between Dr Olajide and Col. Dansaaki S. Ade Agbede, former acting chairman of the association, things finally fell apart during a security summit held in Ibadan when both Agbede and Olajide were itching to get hold of the microphone when the organisers called YCE for its own contribution.

It was after the episode that some elders within YCE that Senior Elders Forum announced his suspension which, of course, did not go down well with him.

While this lasted, Olajide summoned a meeting, where a new set of executive members was elected, and also instituted a suit against the Agbede-led executive.

Since then, the YCE secretariat at Ekiti Street, Bodija has been securely locked to prevent unauthorized use of the office.

Owing to these reasons, the Senior Elders’ Forum said they would not join issues with Olajide by going to court.

The Senior Elders’ Forum said: “We do not elect going to court because we refuse to drag or expose the name and integrity of Yoruba into disrepute.

“Even when we asked Dr. Olajide to surrender the documents with him to the President, he refused. In that regard, we cannot comment on something we have not seen. The said constitution was hoarded and we have no access to it.”

“The group of Dr. Kunle Olajide, Prof. Oluwasanmi and Justice Bakre has declared it does not recognize us and we cannot force ourselves on them. Hence, we, hereby, dissociate ourselves from the YCE of Dr. Olajide, Oluwasanmi and Justice Bakre and remain on our own.

“They are flexing muscles for nothing.”

YCE still one—Olajide

Reacting to the comments, the embattled scribe, Dr. Olajide faulted the claim that YCE was split into two.

According to him, there was no meeting where such decision was made.

He said: “There was no meeting of that sort. We are not split into two as reported. They are just flexing muscles for nothing. Our constitution, which is in my custody as the secretary general of the association, does not recognise any body like Senior Elders Council.

“I believe that the court is a place where civilised people resolve conflicts. I took them to court and they said they have withdrawn when they knew they would not win. Now, they are saying they want to pull out. I wish them safe journey.

“YCE is a voluntary organization. These people have decided to pull out. In YCE, we remain one family under the leadership of Justice Bakre. I’m the custodian of the association’s documents, there is nothing like Senior Elders Forum in any of the documents. They have fizzled out.”

With the split, it is obvious the centre is no longer holding in the YCE.

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