The family heads in Ibadan land, otherwise called the Authentic Mogaji, have appealed to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and other monarchs in Yoruba land to rescue the Odu’a Investment from collapse.
The group said it is disheartening, as the Yoruba nation is watching its legacies dying without intervention from the stakeholders.
The Mogaji, in a statement by their spokesman, Wale Oladoja, regretted the poor management of Odu’a Investment by the governors in the Southwest, saying: “Our fear is the future of this region, if our inheritances die.”
The body had in the last few weeks called on the governors to rescue Odu’a Investment from imminent collapse, saying it was capable of employing youths in Yoruba land if properly managed.
The statement enjoined Yoruba leaders to call stakeholders’ meetings and strategise how to resuscitate the company before it is too late.
The Mogaji urged the governors to forget their political affliction and allow successful businessmen among them like Seyi Makinde and Dapo Abiodun to transform the Odu’a Investment to an enviable status.
“The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the late Chief Ladoke Akintola had given us our future, which are companies under Odu’a Investment, but we mismanaged them. We therefore call on our revered traditional rulers to intervene before it is too late.
“Our concern over the state of Odu’a Investment has nothing to do with personal interest, but the future of our children. Leave the Federal Government to decide its fate, and develop Odu’a Investment. Even with the little we met on ground, many of our children are still finding it difficult to get jobs, let alone when these companies are no more.”
The group asked the monarchs to summon the governors to town hall meetings where the development of Odu’a nation, especially Odu’a Investment, will be discussed to ensure Yoruba children are not playing second fiddle in Nigeria projects.
