Reacting to the letter, a member of the popular umbrella and apex body of Yoruba Self-Determination Group, Ilana Omo Oodua, IOO, who spoke to Vanguard in confidence from her base in United Kingdom, accused Akintoye of selling out the organization and struggle to some Yoruba Elites who are mostly in Diaspora and trying to use IOO as a political business.

The source said: “First, the organization we all know as the umbrella body, or call it an apex body for this struggle regardless of what anyone feels is Ilana Omo Oodua. We have individual members and affiliated groups which Akintoye is the leader. We still held our general meeting last Saturday. Ilana Omo Oodua mobilized and galvanized individuals and organizations to make the Yoruba Nation agitation popular all over the world till now but Baba Akintoye chose to use the name of a US based NGO owned by some Yoruba Elites to write a letter to Nigerian Government and not Ilana Omo Oodua whose name is already a threat to the Owners of Nigeria.

“YSDM is a registered foundation in America owned by five people and nowhere an AGM was conducted by Yoruba Self-Determination organizations to appoint the directors of the organization to warrant it being described as the Umbrella body of Yoruba Self-Determination Organizations. Ilana Omo Oodua worked with other individuals and organizations to get to where we are so why throw us out to be used for business and negotiation with President Buhari because he was made the Chairman of a foundation where he’s not even a Director?

“Second thing is that in the letter, Baba Akintoye, after serving Buhari a notice that the Yoruba people want to exercise their rights to self-determination and justified it, is now demanding for a negotiation meeting? Wow. Who does that? How do you request for a negotiation from someone that is oppressing you and has immense advantage over you in terms of power, arms, sovereignty, money and everything?

“What does Akintoye has outside 5 million online petitions that warrants him demanding a negotiation or worthy of being negotiated with outside his media noise? Buhari should be the one to reach out to us for negotiation, not Akintoye asking for a negotiation. What Akintoye did was against the run of play. When Buratai visited Sunday Igboho in Benin prison for negotiation, he did not write Nigerian Government for a negotiation, they came and Igboho turned them down. That is what is called a fighter and activist.

“The fact is Akintoye merely want to meet Buhari and Tinubu for a political business meeting and he knew that cannot be achieved that under Ilana Omo Oodua hence shifted to the organization of his fellow Elites whom he has sold us to. For instance, his Deputy in YSDM is a former Commissioner and Governorship aspirant in Ondo-State, Banji Ayiloge. For the first time in this struggle, Professor Banji Akintoye described himself as a former Nigerian Senator to Buhari. Baba wants to do business and get his due from the Nigerian Government. This is about 2023 electoral game. I will talk more in future.”

“Lastly, Baba Akintoye said in his letter that no referendum, because five million people have signed an online petition. I am of the opinion that Baba is inviting the Nigerian Government to clampdown on the agitators at home because all the proponents of this no referendum campaign are not based in Nigeria. Baba Akintoye himself, his wife, all his children and that of Banji Ayiloge are not based in Nigeria. So they have nothing to lose. I appeal to my Yoruba people to give themselves brain.” (Text, excluding headline: Vanguard)

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