No fewer than 1,000 Yoruba Women from Uruguay, Argentina, Mexico, United Kingdom, Papua Guinea, Venezuela, Spain, France, and other countries on Wednesday visited the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, in his palace to canvass for the creation of Yoruba Nation.

Clad in traditional rural attire including body wrappers and beads, the women, under the aegis of Obinrin Oodua Agbaye, stormed the palace of the Ooni of Ife on Sunday.

Led by their worldwide Leader, Yeye Simisade Kuku-Onayemi and their Secretary-General, Owowunmi Babalola-Okocha, the women said the gods in Yorubaland had mandated them to commence spiritual measures that would lead to the prompt actualisation of Yoruba Nation without bloodshed, hence, their visit to their fatherland.

Omowumi, a resident of the United States, who was flanked by other Yoruba women from 37 countries, said the gods mandated them to conduct some spiritual measures in the palaces of Ooni of Ife, Alaafin of Oyo, Osemawe of Ondo, Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Obaro of Kabba, Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oloffa of Offa and Awujale of Ijebuland.

The women added that the outcome of the spiritual measures, which they said could not be discussed in public, shall unravel many things that would help achieve peaceful and prompt actualisation of the Yoruba Nation.

“All of us that you are seeing here today are top-notch professionals. We have medical doctors, lawyers, chartered accountants, engineers, development experts, journalists, academic dons, top bankers and entrepreneurs among us. The majority of us are working at blue-ship public and private organisations,” Kuku-Onayemi was quoted by the group, Yoruba Nation, on its Twitter page to have said.

She stated that the women are contented with what they have but are not happy with the situation of things in their country hence they are coming out to salvage their land traditionally.

Corroborating her leader, Babalola- Okocha was quoted this: “Upon consultations, we were mandated by the gods to visit the palaces of Ooni of Ife, Alaafin of Oyo, Osemawe of Ondo, Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oloffa of Offa, Obaro of Kabba and Awujale of Ijebu Land to carry our some spiritual measures that we cannot mention details in public hence our visit to the Oduduwa Source.”

“When we are done with our consultations and prayers, the people of Yoruba Nation shall be surprised at the rate by which the Yoruba Nation shall come into reality without any bloodshed. It shall be amazing and the world shall be shocked,” Omowumi was said to have added.

In his remark, Yoruba Leader and Alana of Ilana Omo Oodua, Professor Banji Akintoye, who led the women to Ooni’s palace, reportedly described the action of the women as a powerful declaration signifying the departure of Yorubaland from Nigeria.

The 86-year-old member of the Second Republic Senate reportedly said, “Our women who gave birth to us have spoken. They have declared and Heaven has heard. What they have started is a powerful declaration showing the departure of the Yoruba Nation from Nigeria.

“It will be amazing and shocking by the time the declaration is made. Yoruba Nation shall be birthed and with the support of our women, our freedom day is nearer.”

The Ooni, in his response to the development, reportedly highlighted the importance of women in the push for freedom, stating that the new twist to the agitation for self-determination is that women are now involved.

According to Yoruba Nation, Ooni said, “Whatever you are doing that women are not involved in cannot materialise. We are going nowhere if our women are not carried along and get involved. If you are married, and your wife is not happy with you, it is not going to work well with you unless the woman is not fighting you with sincerity.

“Women are not timid, they are warriors. From the Holy Bible, we read how Deborah fought for her people and conquered. Moremi fought and delivered the people of Ancient Ife from the Igbomekun who were our deadly adversaries. Therefore, women are key to our struggle for self-determination and we must carry them along, going forward.

“We will support our women and we are happy they are taking up the battle and picking up the gauntlets. Again, I want to say very expressly that If we fail to have the support of our women folks, we are going nowhere. Therefore, I welcome you to the source and I wish you well in your visit to other palaces in the Yoruba Nation.”