Open letter to Aare Gani Adams

Since about 170 years that the first Aare Ona kakanfo was installed, Otunba Gani Adams, you will be the first that truly has an urgent task before him, like your predecessors, they came, they saw, they conquered and it is in history about them that they did their best to save this race at different points of cut throat challenges.

Kudos to the likes of Kurunmi, Ojo Iberu, Aare Latoosa and most importantly, MKO Abiola, whose blood was shed to pave way for this present democracy our country is enjoying.

It is however important to note that the sweet fruit of democracy is not being enjoyed by the Yoruba race, which thought that the blood of Aare MKO and that of his lieutenants will bring us back to the golden era of the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo (the father of modern Yoruba politics), who once gave them a life equal to what an average European enjoys.
Historically, the Yorubas by nature are democratic set of people with high preference for freedom and liberty and as such, when there was any king who has tyrannical tendencies, they dispersed to form a new clan that later develop into villages, then towns and finally into cities that we have in abundance in what is now in the Southwestern corner of the Oya River commonly referred to as River Niger.
Dear Aare, the task before you is as enormous as is tasking, in that our race is in dire need of a sense of direction as regards politics, sociocultural development and preservation and most importantly, security.

I will take my time to discuss these in their order of importance because, following your antecedents, you have been known to champion these causes in the past and your new portfolio as the generalissimo of this great race makes it important for you to consider my concerns as your first port of call as soon as you assume office.

Security: It’s no more news that the entire middle belt of this country is under a pogrom, being carried out by herdsmen and the body language of the President is nothing to write home about.

This, I believe is strengthening them the more, its no more news that these killers are permanent residence in our region and that they are above the power of our so called chief securities officers, therefore, there’s need for you to mobilise, in a civilised manner, the OPC to be ready incase these people try to inflict on us the same injury the middle beltans are subjected to.

As of the Fulanis’ menace among the Tivs and their neighbours, remember “Iku ti npa ojugba eni, owe nla lo npa fun ni.”

It’s also needed to take serious the menace of cultism rampant amongst our youth.

Socially, Yoruba is fast losing our language, moral and cultural values to foreign influences to the extent that our youths hardly neither prostrates nor kneel down for our elders again, Yoruba is no more spoken in our various homes, this has given rise to what we jokingly call “eebo bu” among our youths, some basic cultural practices are seen as evil, all these need a serious address to forestall a total collapse of our cherished heritage.

Our political ideology of restructuring that will return us to regional autonomy should be made a priority, mobilising all our political elders to see the need for this ideology to be restored, our Obas should also not be left out of this struggle because their royal support and prayers would go along way especially now that Ooni and Alaafin are in good terms.

Finally, I congratulate you on this noble title bestowed on you, though it comes with many responsibilities, I’m not afraid because I believe you are up to the task.

Akinbohun Olalekan writes from Ibadan, Oyo State