‘Yoruba needs selfless leaders’

[Punch]

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana, says for the Yoruba to make progress and be relevant in the political arena, its leaders must be selfless.

Such leaders, he added, must be ready to deliver their people from the shackles of poverty, particularly through education.

He stated this on Sunday during the celebration of the Martyrs Day orgainsed by a pan-Yoruba group, Coalition for Yoruba Autonomy in Lagos.

The day is set aside to remember those who died in the nation's struggle for true federalism and democracy, especially from the Yoruba race.

Falana noted that some Yoruba political office holders had not done well in office.

He said, "It is not the issue of the Yoruba alone. The masses are suffering. For those who are claiming to be Awoists putting the Awo-like cap, tell them, it is not enough to wear Awo-like cap, ask them: do they have Awo's wisdom? We need selfless leaders and those who have the wisdom to govern and save their people from shackles of poverty and illiteracy.

"Now to Yoruba as a race, for us to move forward, we must retrace our step to those old legacies that people like Chief Obafemi Awolowo bequeathed to us. Among them was free education."

 

The Punch