Wale Adeniran, the former Deputy Alana and former Chairman of Ilana Omo Oduduwa, has resigned from the group and severed all ties with its leader, Prof. Adebanji Akintoye. 

According to NigerianWatch, the organization's leadership has been embroiled in a crisis in recent weeks due to allegations of fraud and embezzlement, which resulted in the resignation of Adeniran, the group's immediate leader and chairman. 

Adeniran stated that he resigned to allow for a thorough investigation into the allegation and urged Yoruba elders to form a committee to that end. 

However, in a statement issued on Friday, Adeniran explained that he resigned his membership due to the group's inability to form the necessary panel to investigate him. 

"Sometime in late December 2022, Professor Banji Akintoye's Personal Assistant released a 35-minute video in which he accused me of every imaginable crime under the sun, the most serious being an allegation of financial impropriety," according to the statement. Some members of Ilana Omo Oduduwa and one Mr. Mayegun (of Mayegun's Diary) have made similar allegations against me. 

"Consequently, I reacted by calling on relevant and interested Yoruba self-determination stakeholders to institute an investigative probe panel to determine the veracity of the weighty allegations against me. Meanwhile, I stepped down from the Chairmanship and membership of Ilana Omo Oduduwa in order to avoid the appearance of using my position to influence the work and findings of the probe panel. 

"A few weeks later, on 10 January 2023, I reiterated my call for the formation of an investigative probe panel and the publication of its findings within 21 (twenty-one) days. I offered to make all relevant documents available to the investigation panel in order to facilitate its work. 

"However, today, Wednesday, 1 February 2023, at the expiration of the 21 days, I have yet to be invited to appear and defend myself before any probe panel. 

"That being the case, I have come to the conclusion that neither my accusers nor the generality of the Yoruba public have found the allegations against me worthy of any further attention. As a result, I have been absolved of any GUILT in the eyes of the public. It is not my responsibility to investigate myself in order to prove my innocence. Rather, those who level egregious accusations against me in public must substantiate their claims by convening such a Panel. The accuser must provide proof of guilt. Because no Panel has been formed where I can contest any evidence and defend my Honor and Integrity, I consider myself exonerated in the Court of Public Opinion. A deliberate and studied silence on the matter by those who made slanderous accusations against me after more than twenty-one (21) days of notice is evidence of malice and malice. It is now entirely up to me to decide whether to seek legal redress. Meanwhile, I will state the following: 

"With effect from today, Wednesday, 1 February 2023, I cease to be a member and an officer of Ilana Omo Oduduwa. My decision to leave the organization is final and irreversible. However, I remain firmly committed to the Yoruba Nation’s struggle for self-determination. 

“I hereby, with effect from today, Wednesday, 1 February 2023, sever all connections and relationships with Professor Stephen Adebanji Akintoye, the Alana and Chairman of Ilana Omo Oduduwa. 

“On behalf of my family and myself, I hereby express sincere gratitude to friends, colleagues, Yoruba social media presenters and individuals, known and unknown who stood by me and my family during these trying times, and who continually expressed confidence in my integrity. This has been a source of strength to us. 

“To all Yoruba sons and daughters, I say, do not despair. It is not the time to be despondent. It is the time to come together to do a review, engage in serious brainstorming, and to re-strategize, within the context of a new, well-structured organization that will be all-inclusive, and focused on Yoruba self-determination.”