Some influential Yoruba monarchs have endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for re-election as president, ahead of the 2015 election.
They expressed their support on Friday at the at the Yoruba Unity Summit organised by the Committee on Yoruba Progress, Southwest held at the Oduduwa Hall, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
Kings who were present include Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, Owa Adimula of Ijesha Land, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Adedokun Abolarin, Onitaji of Itaji Ekutu, Oba Idowu Adamo Babalola, Alaye of Efon-Alaaye, Oba A. Adejare.
Oba Sijuade noted that the Yorubas were in the forefront of the country’s polity until the spirit of greed crept into the tribe thus causing her political “misfortunes.”
“How did we come to this? The Yoruba were in the forefront. We must remind ourselves that some of these woes are self inflicted and we have never even believed that we could always talk to ourselves on these lapses and how rectification could be achieved in a situation where our sons and daughters would see themselves as coming from one big family and conquer the spirit of greed.”
The traditional ruler who said that various projects have been abandoned by the Jonathan administration in the southwest beckoned on him to see to their completion.
President Jonathan expressed appreciation at the endorsement saying that “the Yoruba continue to be at the edge and has contributed to the building blocks that form the Nigeria edifice.”
President Jonathan promised to implement the recommendations of the concluded National Conference saying there was no way the southwest would be left behind.
Others at the event were the National Chairman of the People Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Adamu Muazu; the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose; the PDP governorship candidate in the last governorship election in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore; Chief Bode Geroge
