OPEN LETTER TO ALHAJI BOLA AHMED TINUBU.
My Dear Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu,
Greetings;
I write this letter to you not as a
politician, because I am NOT ONE, neither will I be, but as a student of
Nigerian Political history, who have seen so much in body polity: the good,
bad, and ugly of Nigeria contemporary history.
I write this letter to draw your
attention to EVERY TIME MISTAKE
politicians from Southern Nigeria, particularly, YORUBAS that claim to be more debonair, cosmopolitan,
intellectually sagacious make in their unholy alliance with axis of evil-a
mafia and a cabal-that had prevented Nigeria to RISE above a crawling baby since independence in 1960.
This group from their dark inner
concave continuously use suspecting, un-suspecting, committed nationalists,
harmless, and willing souls like you to grab power; power they always abuse,
more important, use against their benefactors once the sword is in their hand.
As a Yoruba man with so much knowledge in Yoruba historical past, without being immodest, I think, it will be to your
interest to learn from history, step backward in your actions and retrace your steps, where
possible; seek forgiveness, where necessary, then begin a new journey with
those of like mind, not for today, but for your TOMORROW.
Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, there are five
historical antecedents, this long letter
will share and draw your attention to, PLEASE,
DO NOT IGNORE, but choose the pathway of wisdom. Never succumb to pride,
but humble yourself to amend, where and when necessary.
Number One Event:
Alaafin Arogangan Aole,
Are Ona-Kan-Kan-Fo Afonja, Ilorin, and Yoruba Two
Hundred Years After.
About two hundred years ago in 1815 at
Ilorin the old Oyo Empire northern frontier, an incident happened, which
changed the dynamics of Yoruba political system forever.
Afonja-the son of Alugbin, son of
Pasin, son of Laderin became the Are Ona-Kankan-Fo and viceroy of Ilorin,
viceroy office started with his great grandfather, Laderin, the appointee of
Alaafin Ajiboyede.
From available records, Afonja is loved,
respected by his seventy-man Esos; adored and venerated by Ilorin people, surrounding
towns, villages, and communities.
However, after investiture, Afonja’s
interest shifted from the chief security
officer to political leadership, resulting in rivalry, distrust between
Alaafin Aole and Afonja.
The rivalry was so intense that
Alaafin Aole commissioned Afonja to undertake an impossible, perhaps, a
suicide mission; attack on Iwerre-Ile, the maternal home of Alaafin Ajiboyede.
Out of anger and frustration, Afonja
commenced a bitter war against Alaafin Aole with the help of a Fulani sojourn,
Mallam Alimi, who had just moved from Kuwo-a suburb of Ilorin, in a deal facilitated
by Solagberu-a long-time friend of Afonja.
Oyo-Igboho was destroyed beyond
repairs, thousands killed, homes, and property destroyed by the rampaging
Afonja-Alimi soliders.
Afonja became de-facto lord as Oyo
laid in ruins and Yoruba nation dislocated. Even though, the lion roared from
Ilorin, the forest refused to be still. Within months, a payback time arrived, Alimi’s
unruly soldiers or Jaama became a menace to Ilorin residents just like today’s
Fulani Bororoje herdsmen; Afonja was helpless, in this confused state,
Alimi conspired against his benefactor-Afonja- shortly there after, he was assassinated.
Afonja’s home was carefully exterminated
by Alimi and his soldiers; his sectional warlords, supporters were massacred in
succession. By 1817 when Alimi died, Yoruba had lost Ilorin to the Fulanis.
By 1823, Ilorin became one of the
fourteen emirates under Usman-Dan-Fodio, the Futa Djallon, Fulani man, who had
overrun the entire Hausa states from Gobir to the western border of Kanem-Bornu
Empire on pretext of religious piety.
Any lesson from this account? Can we
see the price of greed, thirst for political power on Afonja, Ilorin, and the
entire Yoruba nation? Afonja suffered a double jeopardy-he lost the anticipated power, perhaps, kingship and Ilorin. Sad to say, two hundred years after, Yoruba is yet
to recover. Is there no similar trend in
Yoruba land at present?
Number Two
Event-Are Ona-Kankan-Fo Kurunmi of Ijaye: One- Man-Riot
One of the major problems military
attack on Oyo created was the destruction of towns, villages, and communities,
resulting in humanitarian crises.
With Oyo gone, Iresa, Ikoyi, Gbogun, and many
more to follow, establishing new towns and communities became a necessity.
Among new the towns were Ibadan in the
east and Ijaye in the west; Ijaye came under the might hand of Kurunmi, the most
powerful Yoruba political figure in mid-19th century. Kurunmi was so
powerful that everyone feared him.
Kurunmi cared for nobody, his concern
was power and political survival, forgetting there was tomorrow. Kurunmi built
himself, but failed to build Ijaye. Kurunmi created a kingdom, but failed to
empower Ijaye kingdom for tomorrow’s survival.
Kurunmi fought everybody from Alaafin
Atiba to Adelu, he engaged in supremacy battle with Basorun Oluyole and
Ogunmola of Ibadan. He terrorized Oke-Ogun-region, especially, towns around
Saki under Okere, because he was not satisfied on how Alaafin Atiba resolved the
matter before he died.
Unfortunately, however, Kurumi declared war shortly after Alaafin Adelu was
crowned.
Thanks to Ibadan war machine under
Basorun Ogunmola, which “routed Kurunmi-Ijaye/Egba alliance (forces)…When
Kurunmi saw the direction of the war-that he was running against time…Kurunmi
committed suicide and Ijaye was destroyed by Ibadan army,” says: www.yorupedia.com
Today, there is nothing left on Ijaye
soil other than mounds, ruins from yesterday’s destructive attack from Ibadan-Oluyole,
thick forest, and fallowed land. Ijaye is now a dwelling place of wild animals, reptiles,
and nightjars.
Any lesson from this account? There is danger pursuing
inordinate ambition, seeking power beyond every reasonable limit backfires; an
excessive or extreme power is a gunpowder with potential to explode anytime, more so, with possibility of destroying whoever possess it. Kurunmi’s excessive power eventually
became his undoing and albatross. Is
there no trend in Yoruba land today?
Number Three
Event: Chief Obafemi Awolowo and The 1962-66 Western Region Crises
Number Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu- you
are very conversant with 1962 Western Region crises, which began with the
arrest, detention, trial, and imprisonment of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
Remember the dark forces of 1815, which
treacherously took Ilorin are still interested in over-running Yoruba land.
Regardless, of several pushbacks
beginning with Osogbo military adventure of 1840s by Ibadan under Basorun
Oluyole, even with Fulani’s defeat at Osogbo, they have not given up, because
Yoruba land is a prized property, they wanted then and now at all cost.
However, Awolowo’s superior politics
combined with Yoruba unequal civilization made their quest impossible. For more than fifty years, several means-they
have devised-mainly-political persecution, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and lieutenants
were the first victims; fate late Chief M.K.O. Abiola suffered, afterward.
Awolowo’s project became the dark
force’s mission, to conquer west, under code name: Destroy AWOLOWO.
Temporarily, the project worked, Chief
Awolowo was tormented, taunted, humiliated, disrobed politically, and caged.
The enemies were happy that they succeeded, after all, Yoruba leader was in
jail. Regardless, Chief Awolowo refused to partner with darkness, refused any
association with evil, more so, placed Yoruba interest above personal desires and comfort.
Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, where is Awolowo-Baba Layinka-of modern times? Where are the generations of Awolowo’s disciples?
Where are the banner carriers in Yoruba land? Where are the Yoruba interest
fighters, defenders, and promoters? Where is this day Tai Solarin? Where is
2016 Ganiyu Oyefeso Fawehinmi? Where is the physician-turned-human-rights-fighter-Dr.
Bekololari Ransome-Kuti? Where are the Socrates in Yoruba land? Where the
Platos in the House of Oodua? Where is Cicero? Is Esa-Oke tired of giving Yoruba
land another Cicero?
Number Four
Event: Late Basorun Moshood Kasimawo Olawale Abiola From National Party of Nigeria
(NPN) To June 12, 1993.
Late Basorun Moshood Kasimawo Olawale
Abiola needs no introduction, a man of extra-ordinary and un-usual intellectual
ability.
My generation came to know Chief
M.K.O. Abiola from 1978 when the ban on political activities lifted, National
Party of Nigeria (NPN) and Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) became the two new parties to mid-wife the Second Republic.
Chief Abiola became the foundation,
pillar, and support NPN rested upon. Abiola labored, invested, worked, and
contributed to make National Party big and great. From Lagos to Ibadan, Jos,
Kaduna, Kano, Maiduguri, Port-Harcourt, back to Lagos, it was M.K.O.
Unfortunately, Abiola became a victim
of no-vacancy-for-southern-presidential-candidates,
when late Alhaji Umaru Dikko, ultra conservative’s representative during 1983
presidential nomination race, said, “Presidency is not for Sale.”
As a true son of Oodua, late Chief
Abiola made immediate U Turn by resigning his membership from NPN; more
important, humbly sought forgiveness from those he had wronged, particularly,
Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
Any lesson from this account? Yes-at times-someone may be on a
wrong course, on a wrong route, and in a wrong place; keep bad friends or be in the midst of evil, but as soon
as he knows, correction must follow immediately, because there is no reason to wait and delay.
Abiola did exactly so, for another ten
years (1983-1993) Abiola underwent a political rebirth, from a pupil politician
to a national hero, which explained his second coming as a favored and most
loved Nigerian politician expressed on June 12, 1993.
Although, he did not hold his elective office of president for a minute, however, Abiola recreated Nigeria Political
landscape, forever. Abiola demystified
and deflated the so-called Hausa-Fulani political invincibility; more so, he
destroyed the invulnerable monolithic North forever.
Number Five
Event: Alhaja Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Contribution to Buhari’s Presidency
It is always said, the best experience
in life is the personal experience, there is no doubt, as a politician and a
major player in this political dispensation-you have helped enthroned-four
Nigerians as presidents.
Particularly, General Muhammad Buhari,
who had run for three unsuccessful times, which his born-to-rule mantra could not
do the magic.
It is on record-you pulled resources,
mobilized foot soldiers, used social, political, and cultural connections to
sell Buhari as a political product to Nigerians.
In fact, General Buhari’s arrogance
and apolitical outlook would have made him lose to another candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, then compelled him retire to Daura, but you saved him.
Even though, his Hausa-Fulani brethren
will tell a different story that Buhari won on his merit, not through your
contribution and support.
Events in the past fifteen months have
shown that Hausa-Fulani used and dumped YOU.
Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, you have
become the proverbial sugarcane Buhari
& Co sucked and threw away with the chaff; you have become a groundnut or a kernel shell-once the seed
is out-the shell is of no use. Alhaji Tinubu, if care is not taken, you may
soon become a FIRE BOOSTER, what
Yoruba calls “Eesan.”
Before it gets to that point, you need
to act fast, just as Abiola wisely did some thirty-three years ago by RESIGNING
from NPN, bid All People Congress (APC) the Party of strange bed
fellows, goodbye.
Never be carried away by your Poison Antidote-you may suffer multiple
bites from these vipers leading to incremental poison, which may render your
antidote ineffective.
Advice and
Conclusion
Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, you are no
longer a novice to Nigerian politics, after all, you are a master; neither are
Hausa-Fulani politics strange to you.
Hausa-Fulani are power hungry, power
thirsty, and can go any length in pursuit of power to sustain their parasitic
social and economic life. Because of their
greed and penchant for power, they are not ready share power with anyone, even
if you share same faith and beliefs with them or holier than they are.
My advice to you is to follow a
pathway of wisdom, leave this club of darkness, reconcile with those you had
wronged in your political journey-Afenifere, Yoruba Council of Elders, your
former deputies, political sons and daughters that you may need in the future.
Finally, go and create a new
coalition, which this primitive, outdated, and old-fashioned sixth century
sheikh-like system may found too sophisticated to challenge.
Reach out to Igbos, allay their fears;
beg the Niger-Deltans, should they have any grievances against you; work with
Yoruba brethren in Kwara and Kogi States, let them know, what is at stake-their
independence or continued slavery under Fulani yoke in their homeland. Remind
them of labors and tears of late Josiah
Olawoyin and Cornelius Adebayo.
Liaise with folks in Benue and
Plateau, who had become stepping-stone to Hausa-Fulani’s rise to power-remind
them of their hero- J.S.Tarka; sympathize with them on several losses from Arewa
decades of butchery.
Seek the Southern Kaduna or
Gbagyi/Gbari people out, the aborigines that have suffered so much from Fulani
tormentors in the past two hundred years.
Build a network with Adamawa, Jukun,
Seyawa, and other Northern Nigerian minorities and Christians, who have
suffered so much in the land their ancestors, bequeathed to them. Reach out to
Ibibio, Efik, Annag, Ikwerre. Visit Ijaw, Ogoni, Kalabari, Ndoni, Okrika, thank
them for their magnanimity of over five decades of continued feeding Nigerians
with their wealth, while they are hungry. Let them know you feel for those
years of plunder without a plough back.
Alhaji Tinubu, stretch your hands
across Niger.
You may become another M.K.O., perhaps,
another June 12 may come your way or through your anointed political son, which
may be far better than 1993’s.
Then the real meaning of your name B.A.T., Be Agent (of) Transformation becomes a reality.
I hope you won’t push this advice
aside; remember, “To Obey is better than
Sacrifice.” I thank you for taking time to read this letter.
May You Have PEACE.
Sincerely,
Silas
Ola Abayomi.
