Pitfalls that can sink Yoruba Nation campaign
By Leye Akinmodiro
I am talking about a glorious Yoruba Nation as being intelligently unfolded by YWC, the Yoruba World Congress. Unfortunately, some very dark, evil forces of subversion are already hovering to destroy that national pride. Before we proceed, there is something very interesting about this new umbrella organization you should be reminded of. YWC is less than a year old since it was officially launched in October 2019, but has accomplished some masterstrokes for the Yoruba Nation like never before, all without firing a single bullet, so far. The Congress is ferociously focused on two major crucial tasks: halting and reversing the violent invasion and occupation of Yoruba land, as being orchestrated by Boko Haram, Fulani Militia and their terrorist allies; liberating the Yoruba people from the shackles of miserable existence which Nigeria has brought upon them. These achievements are visible, measurable, bold, significant, dynamic, relevant, unprecedented and ground-breaking. They include the recognition of Yoruba Nation at UNPO; the launching of both international and national secretariats, amongst others. In these, YWC is a notch above Afenifere, that is, Afenifere of 1993 to 1999, during its last vibrant period under the popular leadership of fearless and courageous Pa Abraham Adesanya. So you ask yourself, can anyone be opposed to this type of magnificent crusade of YWC and its noble intentions? Unfortunately yes! But that is not surprising to us. The sad and tragic part is that the bulk of that opposition comes from certain quarters within the Yoruba population. Let me reveal to you how this opposition is being manifested.
1. Envy
This is not referring to the social media brawls that have characterized the relationship with our Igbo brothers. I am referring to the envy from certain Yoruba quarters which arrogantly but erroneously believe only they possess the authority and key to the political destiny of the Yoruba people. Yet they are nothing but a bunch of moribund lame ducks living on old fame. These are insecure conservative elements with some false sense of entitlement. They resent and morbidly fear progressive change and will really spare no energy to ensure that such change does not emerge, even if they have to resort to betrayal. So when next you hear the sour remarks and attacks from sly characters and puppet groups like old, retrograde COSEG, do not be perturbed because you now understand where they truly belong: A DYING TRADITION.
2. Sabotage
You do not expect to have a movement of YWC clout, global reach, seriousness and disposition, led by Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye of international repute, without the Department of State Security already well entrenched within it. This is why open activities without wisdom is counterproductive. Too much exposure and too many open activities must have given room for infiltrators from the state.
And as usual, recruits for sabotage are enemies within; unrepentant, filthy, rotten souls with no compunction and morality, living on the payroll of DSS, DMI and other state apparatchiks. These are descendants of the Judas Generation and they are always here. The words of Will Durant quickly come to mind: ‘A great civilization is not conquered from outside unless it first destroys itself from within’. They are the gates for external enemies. They are restless in their satanic mission to contaminate, corrupt, poison and eventually subvert progressive efforts using all the known tools of sabotage such as lies, infiltration, treachery, propaganda, bribery, divide and conquer.
3. Charlatanism & Crass Opportunism
The trademarks of career political merchants. They are anxious to speak for YWC, anxious to be see. These are opportunists.
They always come wearing the garb of sympathizers with their deceptive smooth talks. But deep down, they really are not interested in the ideals of freedom, political autonomy, social and economic justice and all the representations of YWC. For them, all of these noble aspirations cut across in sour taste, as bad business. Their primary interest consists in using the YWC as a political platform to launch themselves into political offices, always hanging around for the next Nigerian election ritual. They are rogue comrades, peddlers of our patrimonial nobility who will place a price of franchise on genuine struggle without any remorse. YWC leaders must understand that Self-determination is not a tea party. You cannot run the Movement like a partisan political party or, any regular Non-Governmental Organization for that matter. Oust these leeches in your midst! They represent the corruption called Nigeria.
4. Ignorant And Undisciplined Followership
One of the major factors that led to the quick degeneration of OPC was the quality of its rank and file. When you assemble people of different backgrounds, personalities and psychology into a self-determination organization, and you don’t have any serious program of continuous political education and training to forge, whip, refine and align them into the unwavering strategic objective of the organization, what you have is a rented crowd of mercenaries and not a movement of disciples and dedicated followers. The various groups that came together to form YWC are products of different history and circumstances, with varying priorities, preferences, knowledge, leadership, experience and modus operandi. Without such training, conflict of interest and mistrust will be the order of the day. Here comes into play the knowledge, wisdom and creative intelligence of the veterans within YWC. It took great and consistent efforts to hold COSEG together in the initial glorious days of the organization when it was led by thoroughly branded Marxist ideologues like amiable Baba Omojola and cerebral Rotimi Obadofin, now of blessed memories. Yet COSEG is today the shadow of itself, an old hag.
5. Policy Of Exclusionism
Most of the cadres that will make things work for good in YWC are presently not in the organization. The game of exclusionism is a dirty and offensive one that repels goodwill. This tendency may be responsible for the attitudes of silence, aloofness and indifference of many of these fine cadres who otherwise strongly desire to join hands in YWC. It is very crucial that the YWC leaders seek ways of attracting these finest elements that are just out there. That will be the cutting-edge for true leadership. Also, responsibility is laid upon these cadres who are yet outside to seek ways of closing rank. For those who understand and will sincerely admit it, YWC today remains the only serious, vibrant thing happening for the Yoruba Nation. Aloofness is therefore a grave sin against posterity in moments such as we are in Nigeria.
6. Compromise In Strategic Objective
The pressure to shift grounds, or waiver and all together, abandon the demand for Yoruba Autonomy will be intense. But remember, you cannot have the goal of regional autonomy as a strategic objective and at the same time be prostituting on ‘Yoruba Presidency’ in Nigeria. You will end up becoming a bunch of clowns, laughing stock, paper tiger, never to be taken as serious. The people of the Niger Delta Region didn’t chase the presidency of Nigeria; the presidency chased them. And of course they had the choice: to accept and return their situation to status quo or, to decline and pursue the objectives of the Kiaima Declarations to truly free their region. The rest today is history, and what that history teaches us is that consistency remains the only key word.
7. International Complacency/Conspiracy
It will be naïve to believe that the West and their political instruments, the United Nations and European Union, are genuinely disposed to a truly free African continent. The largest beneficiaries of the fraudulent political configuration and, by extension, miserable state of the African continent, are these same Western Powers. Why then should we expect that England, or the United States, or Germany will ever sincerely support restructuring or revolution in Nigeria? How can China ever allow Nigeria to be dismembered into Oduduwa Republic, Biafra Republic and the other constituent nationalities knowing full well her huge loans to Nigeria will become odious debt? Where were the Western Powers when the embers of political conflagration that eventually consumed nearly one million humans in Rwanda was just fanning? Why do France, United Kingdom and the rest enjoy holding back until crises fester into full-scale war in Africa? These are questions YWC should always bear in mind whenever they approach these so-called great democracies of the West for interventions.
