Groups Advocate For Restructuring And The Yoruba Region Within A Federated Nigeria

In their determination to ensure that Nigeria is restructured, some eminent Yoruba patriots converged in Ibadan on Thursday to advocate for returning the country to the regional system of government as obtained in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

The concerned stakeholders met under the auspices of a non-governmental organization, Yoruba Region Consultative Forum which is advocating for a regional system within the Nigerian federation.

The meeting which brought together representatives from different parts of Yoruba land, including Kwara and Kogi states, deliberated on the proposed regional structure, governance, economic development, security, education and human capital development.

According to the director of publicity of the body, Dr. Abiola Ajibola, the Ibadan meeting which held at the NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan was to enable the Yoruba delegation to the Summit held in Abuja last month give a report of what transpired.

The Abuja Summit was the culmination of the visits made to all the six geo-political zones in the country on the issue of restructuring.

“We started in Ibadan in 2024. Then we went to Kaduna, Enugu, Gombe, Port Harcourt and Jos. Restructuring was the starting point. We realized that the fulcrum of restructuring is to go regional. At the Ibadan symposium, six regions were recommended. Ditto when we met in Kaduna. But by the time we moved to other geo-political zones, the number kept increasing until when we met in Abuja where 17 regions were eventually recommended based on the demands of the people from various parts of the country”.

According to Ajibola, the Ibadan forum was a follow-up to the Summit of Concerned Citizens’ Assembly earlier held in Abuja under the auspices of Citizens Rebirth and Awareness Initiative (C-RAIN).

In his opening address, the national chairman of C-RAIN and Convener of the Assembly, Deacon Owolabi Oladejo stated that the meeting in Abuja from August 17 to 20, 2026, mandated each proposed federated region to return to its grassroots, consult with the people and come up with constitutional frameworks on how they want their proposed region to be ran.

“Consent must be the foundation of this restructuring process. Our objective is not to dismantle Nigeria, but to establish a genuine, negotiated Federation of Nigerian Regions where autonomous units cooperate freely. There must be no second-class citizens or conquered communities in the restructured Nigeria and the proposed regions”, he emphasized.

A university don, Professor Gbade Ojo, who presented the main points of the Yoruba delegation at the Abuja Summit, maintained that Yoruba Region will be viable.

Among the indices upon which he based his optimism were the large population, shared language, educational attainment, vast human capital and abundant natural resources.

Mr. Olaolu Abogunloko and Comrade Jare Ajayi presented a brief summary of the resolution reached at the Abuja Summit which recommended a 17-region federal structure for Nigeria to foster citizen-led governance and inclusivity.

Supporting the move, the Chairman of the event, Retired General Kunle Togun, argued that regional autonomy is the only solution to the myriad of challenges that Nigeria is facing.

Reflecting on his experience before, during and after serving as a military officer, Togun lamented that the deprivations that people are experiencing, including economic hardships, will continue unless the country is restructured along regional line.

Chief Oladipo Oyewole who spoke on behalf of Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) stated that the council is in full support of the efforts at getting Nigeria restructured into regions.

He added that YCE is also seriously advocating for the official preservation of Yoruba language.

Pastor Paul Bankole of the Redeemed Church of Nigeria also expressed support of the church for the restructuring of Nigeria into regions, a position which Prince Femi Mapaderun also echoed. Comrade Adigun Makanjuola of Oodua Youth Group in his own submission advocated for a full confederal system.

Other speakers on the occasion included Dr. Victor Taiwo, Comrade Adesokan, Chief Soji Awogbade of the Voice of Reason (VOR), Chief Yemi Soladoye, immediate past President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Dr (Mrs) Clara Tobaojo, Dr. Tunde Amusat, Barrister Victor Olatoyegun, Chief (Mrs) Funmi Omotoso Abejide, Reverend David Salami of Concerned Yoruba Leaders of Thought, Princess Foluso Oyenuga (Framo), Honourable Gabriel Ashaolu, Barrister Olusegun Olawoyin and Prince Ibrahim Adebara who brought a solidarity message from Oba of Jebba in Kwara State, His Royal Highness, Oba Abdulkadir Alabi Adebara.

Representatives from Kogi and Kwara States seized the opportunity to reaffirm that they want to be part of Yoruba Region as they are full-fledged Yorubas.

After deliberations, the Forum unanimously agreed that Yoruba Region be among those to be established in Nigeria within the shortest possible time.

Afterwards, the draft Article of Federation was presented by the Convener, Owolabi Oladejo.

After going through the document line by line, the meeting approved it and passed it for further action.

In summing up, the convener said that the document will be presented at the next gathering of representatives of other proposed regions.

After the harmonization of the positions, the document will then be presented to the Federal Government, the National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly and other relevant stakeholders.

The forum subsequently constituted committees to work on key areas critical to the proposed Yoruba Region.

The committees include:Yoruba Region Constitution; Governance Structure and Institutions; Natural Resources and Regional Assets; Infrastructure and Economic Development; Regional Security and Public Safety; Education and Skills Development as well as Health, Social Welfare and Human Capital Development