Yorùbá and Political Gullibility!

By

BayoAdedosu

As educated as the Yoruba race claims, upon reflection, we are politically naive, gullible and enemies of ourselves. The internal rivalry amongst the Yorùbás often makes them work against each other. Do you remember the Yorùbá phrase, “kàkà kí eku má je sèsé, á fi se àwà dànù ni”. I do not need to interpret this for us. Just a quick at how the late sage, Chief obafemi  Awólowo  never made it to rule Nigeria, it’s because his fellow Yorùbás betrayed him and preferred to work with Awo’s political rivals. Yes, I disagree with Awo’s political strategy but when your home pulls the rug from under your feet, how far can you go? Let’s flip to 1993, those who were used to divide the Yorùbás during the annulment of the 1993 Elections were foremost Yorùbá people like the late ooni of Ife  Arísekola Àlàó, obasanjo, Yomí Davies etc. Their betrayal of their own was a major setback for the Yorùbá people.

Came 2023 Presidential elections, the most vocal oppositions against (now) President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR were the Yorùbás like edi. Are we cursed or just stupid, gullible and hateful of our own? The present campaign against this government is from the South West again. It’s obvious that we Yorùbás are confirmed ‘olotes’ (conspirators) like never seen before. Can we infer that the different wars the Yorùbás fought amongst themselves like the Kírìjí war has etched a permanent division in our subconscious? Yorùbás were the loudest demarketing President Tinubu before the election. They are also the ones being used to pull his govt down. Why is it that when a Yorùbá man is asked to do something for which he has been mobilized, he does not deliver but later join the noise of “things are very bad under this govt”?

The planned “hardship protest” is planned to take off on a Yorùbá soil, Ìbàdàn confirming how “useless” we are. We endured Buhari’s 8 years. No Hausa man took to the streets to run former President Buhari (PMB) down nor did any of their Traditional Rulers speak against him. Today, the once blind, deaf and dumb have received their healings and are now up in arms against an 8-month old govt telling us that President Tinubu has failed, he doesn’t know what he’s doing etc.

What juju was used on you for 8 years that we all feverishly defended PMB. If care is not taken, the Yorùbá race will lose this great opportunity to make a difference. We are working very hard to make the government of President Bola Tinubu a 1-term government but God will put you all to shame.

I remember how attention was smartly diverted from Saddiya and the other woman who moved over 42Billion Naira to Betta Edu. Those who were responsible for where we are today with nepotism and misrule are using my people to pull this govt down simply because they are losing what they had come to see as their birth rights. If you have no positive thing to contribute to make things better, I implore you to zip it and spare us the noise. You defended a govt for 8 years but tearing down an 8-month old Govt, Sé won fi se yín ni?

Let me use this opportunity to thank the individuals and groups who have been holding it together for Mr. President despite the economic downturn and non remuneration for their sweats. You are not being paid by the govt to do what you do. I know how we started from the Progressives Clan. Pls do not relent. God will remember you all.