Are Yoruba the ‘problem’ with Nigeria?

There are occasions when a writer sets out to write one thing but ends up writing something else. For me, this is one of such occasions! I have had many in the past, though! This time around, I set out to write on Kemi Badenoch’s differentiation between her being a Nigerian and her Yoruba ancestry. And the title I quickly scribbled down was “Which is higher: Ethnic identity or  Nigerian nationality?” The ruling All Progressives Congress chieftain and CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, started it all when she disclosed that the newly-elected UK Conservative Party leader, Mrs. Kemi Badenoch, snubbed her when she made efforts to congratulate and identify with her on the landmark achievement of being the first black person (and, ostensibly, Nigerian) to be so elected. The floodgate of reactions that followed was varied: Some scolded Abike while others lambasted Kemi. In response, Badenoch justified her action, saying she was not ready to do Nigeria’s PR; meaning, she did not want Nigeria to piggyback on her to white-wash its stained linen of a “fantastically corrupt” country, as a former British Prime Minister, David Cameron, had described her right to the face of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who was too dumb-founded and subdued to fight back.

Nigeria, being a country of one scandal, one week, everyone thought the matter had died down – thanks to the Dele Farotimi versus Chief Afe Babalola tango – until the vice-president, Kashim Shettima, chose to stir the hornets’ nest again as he lambasted the British Leader of Opposition for “denigrating” her Nigerian identity, sarcastically advising her to renounce her Nigerian name, Kemi!  At that point, the tango became high profile! It also became more interesting! But it was a most unwise thing for Shettima to have done! The spat from the Nigerian side should have been left at the lower level of Abike Dabiri. Jumping into the fray diminishes the person and office of the country’s Number Two citizen. Did Shettima consider the dignity of his office? Again, the question of what level of training in diplomatic etiquette our leaders get comes to the fore. One such diplomatic gaffe that has refused to go away but appears to have snowballed into the splintering of the ECOWAS (and the collateral damage of the Lukarawa terrorist threat in Nigeria itself), was the hasty and scantily-considered decision taken on the coup leaders of Niger Republic. Don’t we have seasoned professional diplomats anymore? Or is it that our leaders don’t listen to robust and informed advice?

Badenoch’s response to Shettima was more dangerous and damaging than the one she offered Abike Dabiri. She minced no words as she emphasized her preference for her Yoruba ancestry, adding, to boot, that she had no affinity with what she described as a North whacked by Islamism and Boko Haram ideology!  Mrs. Badenoch’s full names are Olukemi Olufunto Badenoch (nee Adegoke). She bears no “English” name. She is proudly and unapologetically Yoruba. She has no “Nigerian name” to renounce, if I may add. There are no Nigerian names, anyway, but there are English, Arabic, Yoruba, Igbo, Efik, Ijaw, Tiv, Igala, Hausa, etc names. Are there even Nigerians in the real sense of the word? I doubt if there are! What we have are people pretending, ape-ing and/or hoping to be one! But there are Fulani, Hausa, Tiv, Idoma, Igb.o, Yoruba, Ijaw, etc. – all cohabiting in the space or geographical expression called Nigeria – so named by the British colonialists.

In Libya in 1989 on the ticket of Pascal Bafyau’s NLC for the Organization of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU) conference, we met the leader of the Benin Republic delegation who was delighted to hear that we were “Yoruba from Nigeria” Immediately, the language barrier between him and those of us who were Yoruba evaporated. Benin Republic, colonized by the French, speaks French while Nigeria, colonized by the British, speaks English. The moment he asked us if we understood “Anago”, which is what the Yoruba in the French-speaking West African countries call Yoruba, and we replied in the affirmative, we began to flow in the Yoruba language! He was Yoruba from Benin Republic while we were Yoruba from Nigeria. All across the West Coast where there is a large population of Yoruba (Anago) people, that is how it! In Europe as well, I met people who never stepped a foot into Nigeria but who described themselves as “Yoruba from Cuba or Brazil or Jamaica, etc.” If you think Yoruba are the only “Nigerians” with this tribal mentality or ethnic consciousness, you are wrong! It spreads across! That was why Buhari as military Head of State voted for a fellow Fulani man from another country at an international forum while snubbing his own fellow Nigerian vying for the same position! There is no Nigerian in the real sense of the word! It remains, at best, a wish; a desire for those who savor it. Efforts, if any, to mesh the various ethnic groups that inhabit the space called Nigeria into a nation have all ended in calamitous failure.

Taking a cue from Buhari – and why not? – it will be unrealistic of Shettima to expect the average Yoruba person, proud of his or her Yoruba ancestry, just like Olukemi Olutoyin Badenoch (nee Adegoke) is proud of hers, to file behind the VP in his snide remarks about this illustrious daughter of Yoruba land. Take note that she is our daughter! And we shall make our stand with her in our millions!

Now to the point that I originally set out to make! When they think they have got rid – or been rid – of one Yoruba gadfly or “irritant” or the other and that Nigeria can now heave a sigh of relief, another pops up and rears its “ugly” head! Why have the Yoruba been “the main issue (not only) in Nigerian politics” (to quote the military dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s definition of Awo) but also the benchmark against whom every detractor and competitor measure their performance? Herbert Macaulay, a Yoruba man, was the doyen of the nationalist struggle. Obafemi Awolowo was the poster boy of the First Republic. The most radical Nigerian woman in history was Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. The name that struck most fear in friends and foes alike during the Nigerian Civil War (1967 – 70) was “Black Scorpion” Benjamin Adekunle. The most patriotic, most selfless, and most self-sacrificing Nigerian military officer ever was Francis Adekunle Fajuyi, who chose to die with his boss, the then Head of State, JTU Aguiyi-Ironsi. The first black Nobel Laureate (in Literature), Prof. Wole Soyinka, is Yoruba!

Now, when we come to the theatre of the radicals and “hot-heads”, the Yoruba also lead, beginning, again, with the same Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who led the Egba women to chase the Alake of Egbaland out of the palace. What of her son, the irrepressible Fela Anikulapo-Kuti? Or his younger brother, Beko? Alao Aka-Bashorun was the first radical NBA president. What of Tunji Braithwaite and Kanmi Ishola-Osobu who followed in his footsteps? We can mention Tai Solarin. What of the stormy petrel himself, Chief Gani Fawehinmi? We can mention a string of NADECO leaders who fought the military to a standstill – Adekunle Ajasin, Abraham Adesanya, among others! With the death of Gani enters Femi Falana!

The only free and fair elections accepted as such by everyone was won by MKO Abiola, a Yoruba man. When Fulani herdsmen ran riot all over the country, the only governor daring enough to look them and President Buhari straight in the face was Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State. Where angels feared to tread; what Goodluck Jonathan and Buhari ran away from is what Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is tackling with uncommon courage and confidence. Now, the man who has volunteered that his head be used to crack the coconut of the malfeasance that we all know has enveloped the Nigerian state in its entirety is Yoruba. The Yoruba stood up like one man and fought for the actualization of June 12. As if the raging Dele Farotimi tsunami was not enough, the Kemi Badenoch hurricane joined the fray!

What is in the DNA of the Yoruba that makes them selfless warriors for the common good, regardless of whose ox is gored and not minding the danger to self? Is it in the water that their ancestors drank and which has been passed on from generations unto generations? Nigeria is not likely to know peace until the gods of the Yoruba are appeased!

FEEDBACK

Well said! You hit the nail right on spot! The forceful arraignment of Dele Farotimi further proves the content of his book to be VERY TRUE. It is a shame that the Judiciary and Government establishments have reduced themselves to be in chains to the powerful. It, thus, further shows that the accused in that book had always twisted the judiciary to his favor. I now see, why some children inherit the enemies and curses of their ancestors even when they themselves are innocent! – Akhidilano.

One thing Tinubu is getting right is the appointment of Taiwo and Zach on tax issues. His tax reform is so daring and good to see that it is ruffling the feathers of the members of the ‘entitled enterprise of Nigeria’. Those two men understand the assignment and are knowledgeable.

One thing I love about this Tinubu is the fact that he is not afraid of taking bold decisions. This country needs decisive actions; not people who are interested in playing to the gallery. Out-of-school children are ravaging your region, no solution! Underage marriage is a menace, no solution! Polio looks more likely to emerge from your region again, no solution! Tinubu’s stubbornness is what looks like the cure to most of the systemic and structural defects of this country. That groups of vested interests are complaining about the tax reform bills is sufficient enough reason to pass the bills and let them cry even more! When Tinubu finishes with tax reform, he should move to other reforms. – Olusegun S. Adeniyi.

I commend your stand on the inalienable rights of offenders to be treated humanely and with respect under the same law that accords a different standard to those in the upper deck. This article will go far from my window to all stakeholders. I have nothing more to urge as I align myself to all the salient issues presented by you and I owe you a loud ovation! – Music speaks.

Your opinion always speaks volumes to the authorities!  Whether they will get the message and do the needful is another thing entirely! But posterity will judge. The issue of Yaya Bello readily comes to mind. He was so let loose that he was beckoning on people on his way to court because he was not put in chains. I can even see a woman embracing him in court and taking photographs with him! This is the level to which our nation has deteriorated and denigrated! The society is corrupt and the judiciary has joined the fray. What a calamity! – Aderemi Ajadi Desalu.

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