The atmosphere was electrifying. I had been on my mum’s neck to get me a pair of socks for the event. The night was unusually longer. My ear lobes were glued to the mat waiting for the crow of a cock to herald a new day. By 8am I had already set.
Decked in my brownish khaki with my new pairs of socks and my robber sandal, I could not wait for my bowel to process my breakfast as I dashed out to Imere Primary School to wait for the arrival of Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Selected pupils from all schools in Ago-Iwoye were lined up, waving Nigeria flags, and singing with pure ecstatic passion to welcome the sage during the 1983 electioneering campaign.
Chief Awolowo alighted from a chopper, waving his hands, and beaming with smiles; the drummers increased the tempo of their drums, and the pupils were dancing and jumping. I almost danced myself lame! The sage triumphantly passed through an ecstatic crowd, shook my hand and carried me up. I have never stopped narrating this experience since 1983. He did not distribute money or any other incentives, yet, that touch was enough for me for years even after his demise in 1987.
Besides Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo, no other Yoruba leader has garnered such passion from the people of my generation. His demise created a gap difficult to fill in terms of trust, commitment, honesty, and most importantly, vision. His Spartan lifestyle, diplomacy and bravery are legendary. The Yoruba people lost a great shepherd. The mobs in our lushly pastures have ever since then wandering for crumbs; our beautiful tegs roaming into the abattoir wastefully; while the trout of our wethers are filled with emptiness.
Several fair weather shepherds have trolled the South Western region, most often with their visions tailored to meet specific situations. Some came with manes that could wade off the menacing intruders of their time; some surfaced with double speak bleating that could only postpone the pawns of prowlers; some came in camouflage fleeces to alter the course of our yearlings to destruction, while some appeared to lead the whole flock to a wrong direction for a piecemeal to their own benefits. Only very few either came close to the vision and charisma of Chief Awolowo or had the decibel of his acceptability. The resultant effects are enormous. The value system seems to be gone. The trust is eroded. The passion for service has been replaced with service for own pockets. The flock can no longer recognize the rightful instructions among the cacophonous whistles that are blowing from various situational sheepherders.
I had a rare privilege to meet Professor Stephen Adebanji Akinloye at the Airport Hotel, Lagos on August 15th, 2018. It was an occasion where a group of prominent Yoruba leaders gathered to discuss the insecurity of the Yoruba States and to find ways to make Yoruba youths engage in financial independent adventures and thereby reducing the social vices in the region. He was ushered unto the podium by the Convener of Yoruba Koya Group, Chief Deji Osibogun. I watched him with rapt attention as he exudes pure honesty in his brief admonitions. He seemed to have the history of Nigeria in his palms. He dished out balanced opinions in a manner that clearly showed that he is at peace with himself, and with the society. He is calm, fluent, knowledgeable, and rich in emotional intelligence. He never struggled to polish a situation to suit a circumstance. He did not speak to impress or curry favour from anyone. He spoke straight to the hearts of the audience, and the responses showed that people believed him. He exuded self-actualization and cut an image of a man who is left with no mountain of ambition to climb anymore.
Prof. Banji Akintoye needs no introduction in Nigeria space. He is a man of so many parts. He was a Senator, a top rank world historian, a university professor, a prince, and a community leader. He knows and understands the Nigeria system. He is eighty three years old and thus has seen the good and bad seasons in Nigeria. He belongs to the generation that values morals, honesty, dedication to duty, and honesty. He has been so active in ensuring that these virtues continue to drive the youths of Yoruba nation. He has not only been preaching the virtues, he is living them. No wonder there is no dissenting voice contesting his choice as Yoruba leader. Such level of acceptability is rare in our generation where trust is becoming so expensive.
If there is any time in Nigeria history when the Yorubas must work together to achieve a synergy, it is now. The killings and kidnappings that are bedeviling the Yoruba States in the last two years are insidious to the ear. These criminal acts are more hurtful as no strong voice is condemning them. We only hear murmurs from political apologists or at best some trout that would not be matched with meaningful actions.
Education is watered in a stealthy manner that one will wonder whether our certificates now worth beyond paper value. Unemployment is at its nadir and there seem to be no solution in sight. The Yoruba are gradually becoming political invisible as virtually every sheep that shone gracefully from our region in the last two decades are either slaughtered as political muttons, or at best eternally injured with fathom and inconsequential issues. Related to these are unhealthy rivalries among various political players who are ready to stab one another at the expense of the growth of our race.
Thus, it was welcoming news when on 22nd August 2019; when some Yoruba leaders converged in Ibadan to elect Prof Adebanji Adetoye as the new Yoruba leader. Some situations in the past had produced great leaders such as Pa Adekunle Ajasin and Chief Abraham Adesanya. They did their bits and weathered through those situations. Every well-meaning Yoruba must rally round this new leadership, burry old hatchets, suggest new visions, and chart new course for the betterment of our race. It should not matter whether Comrade Victor Taiwo, founder of Oodua Redemption Alliance who muted the Ibadan meeting was right or wrong.
The Afenifere, Yoruba Koya, Voice of Reason, Oodua Peoples Congress, Oodua Redemption Alliance, Majiyagbe Oodua Vanguard; Awari Omo Oduduwa, India Foundation, Yoruba Council Of Elders, Agbekoya, and other groups within the regions should at least for the sake of fostering unity should work together with this new Yoruba leadership to achieve the needed growth which is racing away from our region. It is our hope that now that we have a shepherd whose rod is not tainted with lucre of blemishes, our flock will graze to fruition in this lurch called Nigeria.
Fasanmi, a University Lecturer, contributed this piece from Federal University, Gashua, Yobe State
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