Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, the umbrella body of Yoruba Self-Determination Groups, has reacted to Mr. Pelumi Olajengbesi’s choice to leave the legal team representing the group in court.

Olajengbesi’s choice to announce his departure on social media was also criticized by Ilana Omo Odua, who claimed that he was not recruited using social media.

Olajengbesi declared on Facebook on Sunday that he and his chambers will be withdrawing their legal services to Sunday Igboho and the Yoruba Nation group.

Olajengbesi is the lawyer representing two of Chief Sunday Igboho’s aides in a terrorist case brought by the Department of State Services (DSS) in an Abuja High Court.

Trouble seems to have started after the leader of Ilana Omo Oodua, Professor Banji Akintoye had threatened that no governorship election would be allowed to hold in Ekiti and Osun this year.

Not happy with the statement, Olajengbesi had stated that voting remained a human right, adding that Akintoye was not speaking for his client and the people of the southwest.

Reacting, Ilana Omo Oodua group accused the lawyer of trying to please the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Following the withdrawal of his legal services, the Ilana Omo Odua group has now accused Olajengbesi of undermining the agitation for the Yoruba Nation.

A statement by the group’s spokesperson Maxwell Adeleye, on Sunday further accused the lawyer of lacking understanding of the ethics guiding his profession.

It also questioned the integrity and honor of Olajengbesi.

“We want to state very expressly that we did not hire Mr. Olajengbesi through the social media and it is not ideal for him to have resigned through the social media. Choosing social media to resign is an indication of his lack of understanding of the ethics of his profession. It raises questions on his integrity and honor,” Ilana Oodua said its statement titled, ‘Response of Ilana Omo Oodua to the resignation of Mr. Pelumi Olajengbesi as counsel to the Ighoho 12 & Yoruba Nation Self-determination struggle,” the statement read.

The statement also questioned Olajengbesi for stating he wants to continue defending the accused Igboho aides in court, stating that they don’t want the lawyer involved in anything that has to do with the group as the embarrassment is enough.

The statement added, “We, therefore, want to state that Mr. Olajengbesi’s so-called social media resignation is full of contradictions and a paradox. He said he was quitting every case that has to do with Sunday Igboho and the Yoruba Nation Self-Determination Struggle, at the same time he said he will continue with the case of the Ighoho2 charged for terrorism by the DSS.

“You can’t approbate and re-approbate. You can’t be out attacking us on social media and still want to handle the Ighoho2 case. You can’t eat your cake and have it. The public embarrassment, humiliation, and opprobrium that has been brought to the Yoruba Nation Self-Determination Struggle by Olajengbesi in the last 24 hours is enough.

“With the way he has conducted himself in the last 24 hours, we do not want him anywhere near our struggle anymore.”

Adeleye added further that Mr. Olajengbesi is not a personal lawyer to Igboho but was hired by the Ilana Omo Odua group after Chief Yomi Aliyu (SAN) introduced him.

“Lastly, it should be on record that contrary to the claim of Olajengbesi, he is not a personal lawyer to Sunday Igboho, but a lawyer to the Yoruba Self-determination struggle. He was introduced to us by Chief Yomi Aliyu, SAN.

“The Self-Determination Struggle hired, retained, and paid for the services of Pelumi Olajengbesi, not Chief Sunday Igboho,” he said.