**Yoruba Leaders Demand Federal Restructuring as Insecurity and Cultural Loss Threaten Nigeria’s Survival**
Nigeria cannot achieve stability, development, or unity without a fundamental overhaul of its governance architecture. That blunt assessment anchored the 2026 Oodua Progressive Union Europe Summit in Luxembourg, where speakers linked the nation’s escalating crises directly to an overcentralized federal system.
The gathering, themed *The Yoruba Response to Restructuring, Insecurity and Cultural Erosion in a Struggling Federation of Nigeria*, drew OPU executives, European delegates, and traditional rulers. Iba Gani Adams, Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland and OPU’s Global Convener, framed the discussion as urgent, arguing that the concentration of power in Abuja breeds inefficiency and marginalizes the Yoruba people.
Adams pressed for authentic federalism that would hand genuine autonomy to the states. “Restructuring is essential not only for equitable resource distribution but also for fostering national integration and eliminating ethnic discrimination,” he told attendees.
His security message carried equal weight. Military force alone will not resolve Nigeria’s insecurity crisis, Adams argued. Instead, he advocated for community policing, intelligence sharing, and empowering local security groups. He leads the Southwest Security Stakeholders Group, a coalition of 16 security-focused organizations, and called for deeper collaboration between government forces and grassroots actors to combat kidnapping, banditry, and insurgency.
Guest speaker Giwa Tobi of the University of Luxembourg reinforced the theme. He described a widening “distance” between government and citizens, security agencies and communities, and children and their heritage. Centralized power has alienated ethnic groups, he said, while granting states resource control and autonomy could reverse that trajectory.
Traditional rulers added cultural urgency. Oba Ikudaisi Joseph Olusina, the Alagbegise of Agbegise Kingdom, declared that Yoruba aspirations align with constitutional principles of unity in diversity. He urged diaspora Yoruba to remain cultural ambassadors.Meanwhile, Oba Oladipupo Kabir Badejo, the Oniselu of Odo Iselu, warned that globalization and urbanization are accelerating the erosion of indigenous languages and customs. He pressed the federal government to mandate cultural education and indigenous language instruction in schools.
Otukoya, OPU Europe’s Deputy Coordinator, credited Adams for building a movement that now transcends borders and preserves Yoruba identity worldwide.
