From Bola Ogunlayi, Regional Editor, South West
Reminiscent of the Afenifere days, when the Yorubas of the South Western part of Nigeria will queue behind their leaders for a political direction, a new set of leaders under the aegis of The Yoruba Patriots Movement recently converged on the political headquarters of the race, Ibadan, to drum up support for a new agenda for the development of the enlightened society.
The Jogor Center, Ibadan venue of the convergence of notable political elements was a beehive of activities as political personalities from the South West, cutting across notable political parties, once in distance period, got united for the purpose of forging ahead in the patrimonial enclave called Nigeria.
It was a gathering that many in the Yorubaland believe may be disturbed by conflict of interest but the conveners were upbeat that the 2019 general elections in the zone would be determined by the new group which would soon metamorphosis into political party as events unfold.
Speakers after Speakers including, Chairman of the Occasion tagged National Colloquium with the themed, Resetting the Yoruba Nation’s Agenda for Rapid, Systematic and Sustainable Development, Chief Bisi Akande, a Pioneer Chairman of the ruling All People Congress (APC), Kunle Olajide, Dr Doyin Okupe, Dr. Yemi Farombi and Dr Fredrick Fasehun regretted the lack of unity among the Yorubas for the purpose of their development.
Chief Bisi Akande, a man believed to have the ears of President Muhammadu Buhari and Prime mover, Senator Bola Tinubu stressed the need to make discussion centered around how the Yorubas can have it better like in the days of Chief Obafemi Awolowo when the region made use of its natural resources like cocoa, coffee and rubber plantation to develop the region.
Dr Kunle Olajide who was a leading discussant at the Colloquium posited that the Yorubas which constituted 60 million of Nigeria population should set Agenda for others, because of their urban nature.
“There are national questions bothering on whether the Yorubas are having their share of their rights in Nigeria, whether they have not been marginalised and the distribution of infrastructure all of which the audience chorused, NO.”Dr Olajide wondered.
Dr. Doyin Okupe who said he was in the inner caucus of the immediate past Presidents, Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan said what the Yorubas are rushing to share in Abuja on monthly basis at times with cap in hands was what a Super mart in America would make in one Friday.
“Let’s call for a Yoruba Summit where we can set the Agenda of minimum standard for the Yorubas. Wealth creation is the best strategy to fend for ourselves in Nigeria. The Yoruba as a nation has done it in the past as the most educated and creative in terms of monumental achievements, Dr Okupe added.
Dr Yemi Farombi who was the immediate past Nigeria Ambassador to Philistine explained that the beginning of Yoruba peoples’ problem was the attempt to copy other tribes in profligacy at the expense of the virtues and concept of Omoluabi they were well known for.
“The Yorubas that were voted for to represent us at the center, unfortunately, forgot their fathers and mothers; they don’t come to feed their people back. There is no more structure to build upon”, Farombi told the audience.
Dr Fredrick Fasehun of the famous Odua Poeples Congress, OPC, took his turn to warn the dreaded Boko Haram, the Fulani herdsmen and the Niger Delta Militants not to come and disturb the peace of its people saying, if they come to any part of the Yorubaland “they will meet our strong Army of resistance”.
Representative of the Oyo state Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, Alhaji Ismail Olalekan Alli praised the organisers of the programme and said he would always support all efforts geared towards the development of the Yoruba nation.
A former Chief of Staff to Oyo State Governor, Dr Saka Balogun disclosed that the YPM is not a socio-political organisation but a movement that is highly political and would participate seriously through an acceptable political Party in the 2019 general elections.
The National Coordinator of the YPM, Hon. Oladosu Oladipo said it was time for action and not rhetoric in assisting the Yoruba to get their political relevance in the scheme of things.
“Any political Party that ignores the YPM in the 2019 elections done so at its own peril, because, the personalities we assembled here are the heavyweights from the zone in Nigeria political circle”, he concluded.
Members from different notable political Parties in the State APC, PDP, Accord Party, Labour Party, SDP were present at the gathering.
At the end of the National Colloquium, Dr Soji Adejumo, a one tine gubernatorial aspirant in Oyo State read a position paper with three point agenda and resolution.
All the Speakers took swipes at the turn of events after the Nation’s independence in 1960 and posited that drastic measures must be taken by the leaders to end the starring problems of poverty, security threat, disunity, rancor and pursue of selfish Agenda as against the corporate which was the hallmark of the people’s progress in the past.
The gathering also condemned a situation whereby a central policy would be use to determine the education of its people, arguing that, the South West were far beyond others in the education industry.
The need to have a Yoruba Summit consisting of all Youba Stakeholders, the need to have a Yoruba Economic Agenda that will insulate them from going to Abuja caps in hand and the call for the registration of all Yoryuba organisations under the YPM for the purpose of providing a common front to advance the course of the people.
People from Ogun,Ondo,Ekiti,Osun,Oyo and,Lagos including representative of the Ondo State Governor, Hon. Jide Adejuyigbe, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, Senator Ayo Adeseun, Alhaji Alli Oyedeji, Mrs Ayolola Adedoja, Hon. Bayo Raji, Dr Olapade Agoro, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, Brig Raji Rasaki and Gbolarumi Hazeem among others were in attendance.
