Prof. Anthony Bamigboye having served his two-term tenure as the President of National Association of Yoruba Descendants of South Africa (NAYDSA) bows out in grand style as the new President and Executives of the Association were inaugurated on Saturday 30th July, 2016.
The inauguration ceremony which took place in Johannesburg, South Africa was well attended by Captains of industries, Diplomats, Academia and Government functionaries.
The outgone President, Prof. Anthony Bamigboye while delivering his remarks said the Association strived to create a respectable and proud Yoruba identity envisaged by its founding fathers by bringing unity and economic emancipation to the teaming Yorubas and to all Nigerians in South Africa. He said “during my tenure, the association rightly took its place amongst regional associations in South Africa”.
He further stressed that the Association was highly relevant and visible during the trying periods of the xenophobic attacks where they participated in soothing and relieve agenda.
“We were highly relevant and visible during the trying periods of the xenophobic attacks where NAYDSA participated in soothing and relieve agenda. We enlightened the Nigerian government, the National Assembly, the Nigerian populace and the world over, of the true situations on the ground which invariably relieved the tension between South African and Nigerian government at the peak of the attack.”
He further enjoined the warring factions to come together and work as a team to advance the welfare of Yorubas in South Africa.
While commenting on the recent attacks on Yorubas in Nigeria by the Fulani herdsmen, the outgoing President said “Yoruba nation needs to be more united than ever before in the face of the wanton destruction of life and properties by the invading Fulani Herdsmen and the unwarranted attack by the South-South militants in the South Western State of the Yorubas. Some of our elders will remember the bombings in Ibadan and Lagos and invasion of the South West via Ore was the catalyst that drew the Yoruba fully into the Nigerian civil war of the late 1960s.”
He urged members to forgive the inadequacies of his administration during the two terms. He said “We played our role and we look forward to even a better role overtly or covertly, in serving Nigeria now or in the future.”
He congratulated the incoming President Mr. Dennis Akinyele and the New Executives and encouraged them to ensure the unity of all members of the Association.
Professor Anthony Bamigboye is the Executive Director of Louismed Hospital, Lekki Phase I and a Professor of O and G, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo City.
See pictures below: