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Members of the Yoruba Council of Elders(YCE) on Thursday unanimously appointed Justice Ademola Bakre (Rtd) as the fourth President-General of the oganisation.
The Council appointed Bakre at its National Executive Council(NEC) meeting which was held on Thursday at the National Secretariat of the group in Bodija, Ibadan.
The meeting was attended by delegates from Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Kwara and Diaspora (UK/USA) chapters of the group.
Delegates from Oyo, Osun and Ondo States did not attend the meeting and no reason was given for their absence.
The appointment which was made amidst tight security was said to have been done in a bid to put an end to the leadership crisis rocking the Council.
Bakre will take over from Col. Sam Ade Agbede (Rtd) who was appointed in interim capacity to oversee the affairs of the Council in July, 2018 following the death of Chief Idowu Sofola(SAN).
The council said it decided on the choice of Bakre after due consideration of his experience in public administration, judiciary and fatherly role in YCE.
In his acceptance speech, the new President-General acknowledged the enormity of the task before the Council and the need to ensure unity of members, leaders and the entire Yoruba race, promising to do all within his power to bring everybody together.
He pleaded for the support of other elders and members of the Council and also assured that efforts would be made to reconcile all aggrieved members in order to build a formidable Council that will be able to chart a good path for the Yoruba race in the Nigerian agenda.
The Council described the leadership crisis rocking the group as a “storm in a tea cup'” and assured Nigerians that the storm is over, adding that the organisation has been fully restored and it will continue to contribute to Nation building.