News Obiaks News

The crisis rocking the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) took another dimension on Thursday, when members of the council announced the suspension of Secretary-General of the group, Dr. Kunle Olajide indefinitely.
        This suspension was part of the decisions taken at the YCE joint meeting of Senior Elders’ Forum and Chairmen of State Chapters, held at the council’s National Secretariat, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. Present at the meeting included, Chiefs Mike Omoleye, Jibade Oyekan, Adegboye Onigbinde, Anthony Meraiyebu, Dr. Rasaki Shiyanbola, Prof. Adetoun Ogunsheye, Barr. Akin Akinremi and Com. Sam Agbetuyi. There has been a cold war between the duo of President of the body, Col. Ade Agbede (rtd.) and the embattled scribe, Mr. Olajide over the control of the leadership of the association. In the communique signed by the President of the Council, Ade Agbede after the meeting, Olajide was suspended for “reasons of gross misconduct and insubordination”, urging him “to surrender all the Council’s properties and documents in his custody to the President immediately. The group also resolved that Sam Agbetuyi should with immediate effect, take up the position of Assistant Secretary-General 1 for the Council in an acting capacity. The meeting also resolved and passed a vote of confidence on Agbede as the President of the Council. But, the embattled scribe while reacting, described his suspension as jokes taken too far.
        Olajide while speaking with the press maintained that those at the meeting had no locus standi to take such decision, which he described, was at variance with YCE constitution. He said, “YCE has no senior elders’ forum in our constitution and Agbede is just using them to perpetuate himself in office as the president of YCE. What we bestow on him was an interim president, he was picked to act in that capacity and as the Secretary General, I am still in charge of the YCE secretariat. Very soon, the state chairmen in eight states would address the issue and put Agbede where he belongs.”