This was actually a response to a boss of mine in a discussion on the agitation for Oodua nation and the present eventuality. The discussion led him into saying the Fulani supremacy drive caused this agitation and later asked for way out.
So, I responded to explain that the Yoruba also have within the enclave so called that name this inhuman supremacy tagged 'fulanism', and for
the Yoruba nation to be on course certain steps must be taken before our Igbohos could be brought into a strategic but focused agitation - satyagraha, and if need be, the next level of it.
These people of fulani nature are equally abundant here among us. Obasanjo is Egba, the Kutis are Egba. Who attacked the Kutis? Fela was just singing criticism of government, the mother was just speaking truth to power, they did not attack customs at a border but Obasanjo attacked their house, the old woman was thrown down from a high rising building and she was killed. But the Obasanjos are Owu and the Kutis are Ake. Do the two communities see one another as cousins?
The Egba is not absolved in the conspiracy with the military that led to the killing of Abiola whose only offense was that he won an election. For 8 years as President, OBJ never mentioned anything about MKO or June 12. Abiola was Gbagura. Do the Ake, Owu and Gbagura see one another as cousins? OBJ openly, and from a position of an international figure and former Head of State, told the world that his 'cousin' was not the messiah Nigeria was looking for. He later found the messiah in himself, later in Yaradua, in Jonathan and then in Buhari.
What about the killing of Bola Ige? Was the murder of this Ijesaman, an attorney of international repute with unequal erudition and a gift of the garb solely the Hausa-Fulani execution? He was from Esa Oke.
How many gubernatorial aspirants have the Hausa/Fulani killed? How many have been killed among ourselves by ourselves in the name of politics: Arojo, Dipo Dina, Bajomo, Funso Williams. These heinous crimes were committed in the Yoruba nation by Yoruba people against the Yoruba people.
How many minorities are under suppression and marginalisation by other tribes in the Yoruba ethnic group? The Yewa, the Remo, the Onko, the Ketu, the Ilaje and many others have been under that yoke for decades.
We have not united the Yoruba we are shouting Oodua nation, is that the way to go? I have no problem with Igboho's violent response to the fulani's criminal activities in his village; of course, I hailed him then. But when he was supposed to stay put to further protect the people, he left them to their fate as the bastards continued reprisals destroying and killing. He went to be chasing Oodua nation, a project about which he knows next to nothing.
The Ekiti parapo war/Kiriji; Ijaye war, Owu war, Adubi war, Dahomey and lately the Ife-Modakeke war, all have sustaining grave impact on the sociology of our internal unity - unresolved, but only suppressed by the emergence of the Nigerian state. The accremonies, enmity, supremacy (fulanism in us) that led to those wars are only taking refuge in the now bastardized union-state called Nigeria. If we get out of the union as we are now the refugees will come back home.
To pull out of the union we must first reestablish our socio-cultural decendancy alignment and solidarity. These have suffered rebellion over decades as a result of injustice within with many brake-aways already. Owu broke away from Oyo, Ijaye from Ibadan, Osogbo from Ijesa, Remo from Ijebu; Ijebu is even saying they are not Yoruba but from Wadahi, and many more.
While reuniting we must as a matter of fact reinvigorate equality and remove the sense of supremacy (the fulani sense) among the tribes. Even those that are not purely Yoruba or not of Oduduwa decent (because these two are not same) can become part of the Yoruba State by agreement. The Owu are not Egba, but they became part of the Egba Nation (first recognised modern sovereign in Nigeria) by agreement.
Therefore, the remnants of Ogu (Egun) in Nigeria in the north-west of Ogun State, the Ohori, the Ijebu, the Ibini, the remnants of Ijaw and Ilaje, the Igala, the Yoruba-Fulani in Ilorin (the mix is there), the Ica/Itcha (called Ago Ika in Abeokuta), the Onko etc, can agree to be part of the Yoruba nation.
A nation named Oodua will not pleasantly embrace all these subtribes but a Yoruba nation will do; because even though they can't trace their decent to Oduduwa they speak the Yoruba language. These are things any serious agitation group should consider before embarking on this all important project.
Lastly, it is better done when the political rotation of power gets back to the Yoruba not when the so called enemies are in power. Olorun lo n dajo afeyinperan.
By Yemi Akintunde
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