MY verdict: 1 Corinthians 1:27. I will explain.
No doubt, Operation Amotekun came into existence a paralytic, disabled from the womb by its promoters, touched down on the cradle, nearly a still-birth, surviving right now in an incubator, would possibly live the rest of its existence in vegetative state, but the Yoruba nation is clutching to the potential Abiku like a long-barren woman, to “anything” baby as a consolation that at least, her own hand has also been in the Osun (camwood powder) jar and can boast of being an abiyamo tooto (caring mum) at a point in her life.
Two prominent Yoruba proverbs stick out to me, periscoping what is gradually becoming a Fulani Vs. Yoruba duel over the regional quasi-military outfit. And both are about babies. First, Omo eni o ki nburu kafi fekun paje (you don’t just will an irresponsible child out to be destroyed). Second, Omo eni ki se idi bebere kafi ileke sidi Omo elomiran (you don’t dump your own to celebrate others).
There is also a truism that in every disappointment, there is a blessing. You look at DAWN, the South West Development Commission which packaged the initiative and you want to ask, DAWN or CLOWN? Beyond not having a legal mainstay for an outfit expected to operate in an area as sensitive as security, or better still, policing, considering the history of untowardness behind some of the intending personnel (particularly Gani Adam’s OPC faction members), the post-launch drama showed palpable lacuna in the areas of comprehensive consultations, aggressive pursuit of feedbacks and deep inclusion of relevant local and international comparative analyses.
DAWN’s shoddiness is glaringly manifest in not even consulting known and prominent victims of the insecurity the commission claimed it was working to attenuate. After reading Pa Falae’s interview in the Punch newspaper on Amotekun, it dawned on me that DAWN is a whole mood of doom. The leadership should be fired! Simple.
Well, the six governors, both active and passive and even disgruntled promoters of the interventionist initiative can now laugh behind closed doors because despite accepting the tomfoolery packaged as leopard by DAWN, the expected but wrong-headed Fulani objection to the scheme, is daily galvanising the entire race, minus the usual suspects, behind what could turn out to be a common cause, for public good, even beyond its geographical carvings. A word for them though. Beyond the grandstanding, the likes of Pa Falae, Femi Falana and others, who have spoken to simple legalization and enduring legality by keying into existing legal codes, should be reached ASAP, if that had not been done. This is also a warning that the next official tardiness could be costlier as the promoters may not be all-time lucky.
For sure Amotekun will live, only that what the imminent political solution would leave behind, (litigation would achieve nothing) may be a useless invalid. That is why caution should be applied despite the galloping support in Yorubaland and elsewhere. It seems God has chosen this moment for the race for redemption and instead of showcasing her usual weak spots of cotton wool-weight showboating, a committee of eminent Yoruba across walks of life, should be quickly constituted for a solid arsenal for the coming jihad. You ask where is the war coming from and over what? Ordinary formation of an ethnic militia?
That would be too simplistic a reasoning. Defacing the social media space with the spectacle of Amotekun’s forerunners operating in the North, like Hisbah officials in grotesquely-oversize Joseph’s coat of many colours, won’t also win the argument with those determined to stop the Yoruba race from taking perhaps the most important step in half a century, though those visuals with contoured visages, are, admittedly, helping the discriminating Two-Nigeria narrative and winning more Amotekun converts.
The comparison is however dangerous for what South West is out to achieve, wearing the leopard face. Local policing in the North has always been to keep the people in check, using cultural and religious cards. The closest semblance to the idea behind Amotekun, is the Civilian JTF, complementing the insurgency war in the North East, which operations, complete with arms, would soundly defeat the legal objection of AGF Malami and arms-bearing opposition of Police. But do we sincerely want Amotekun to function like CJTF when there is no regular war ongoing in Yoruba land?
Oh, there could be knocks here, with, who says we aren’t under Fulani siege?The argument can also be stretched to security agents’ alleged complicity and protection for the marauders. That exactly is the point; that is why Amotekun can’t and should not be negotiated into any alliance that would either make it a jejune or provide an opportunity to work it into gradual extinction. Can you get those accused of supporting your killers to sincerely work with you to turn on their collaborators? The political solution, hinted by Ondo governor, Rotimi Akeredolu and reportedly being packaged by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, should not be handled by Ekiti governor Kayode Fayemi and co. The best, who rate their Yorubaness over and above partisanship and proclaim it, without apologies, should be at the forefront of any negotiation, provided the race is serious about making this moment count. The farthest my gaze can go now, leadership-wise, is Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi, of Yoruba Koya. Zoning blackmail for 2023 presidency won’t bother his kind.
The public celebration by some excitable Yoruba personalities that Amotekun was the first step towards achieving the clamoured restructuring, a coinage that constantly upsets the North and particularly the Fulani, which now controls the centre, is one reason whatever is coming over the security initiative, will be long, drawn and uprooting. Hope the South West is ready?
The Fulani hegemony however, isn’t the bitterest foe Amotekun faithful have to subdue. It is their angry kith and kin, who have maintained a worrying silence not to be labelled bastards, yet possessing capacity for greater damage, like using media influence to deconstruct Amotekun as a terror outfit, worse than the Fulani killers, even with mere Dane guns and getting their friends in Abuja, to declare emergency rule to send an unwanted pro-Amotekun governor home. Despite, this could still be the Oduduwa moment, if well-harnessed.
and then