by Sega Awosanya
I may not be a classical example of a typical south westerner as I see myself first as a Nigerian based on my unrepentant status as a true patriot. I however know how educated the yorubas are and I can tell from antecedents how sensitive we can be in choosing our leadership.
Some would say that I’m Yoruba or from the SW but the Truth is I’m a Nigerian first who believes Yoruba people are no fools to pick a rogue as a leader of their Race.
Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has predicted that the South-west geopolitical zone would not vote for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, as this would amount to the acceptance of the National Leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu, as the leader of the Yoruba race.
This is very correct given that the Yoruba race are not as vacuous as to enthrone, elect or choose a questionable character such as the Bandit of Bourdillon as its leader.
Chief Obafemi Awolowo was an intellectual who neither need drugs to function nor narcotics to become economically or politically relevant. He was a Nigerian teacher, journalist, lawyer, nationalist and statesman who played a key role in Nigeria’s independence movement, the First and Second Republics and the Civil War. He is most notable as the outstanding first premier of the Western Region but was also a successful federal commissioner for finance and vice president of the Federal Executive Council in the Civil War and was thrice a major contender for his country’s highest office. Bishop Ajayi Crowther was a man of repute who laid an example with his life work that puts us on the map till date through the translation of the English Bible to Yoruba. He was a linguist and the first African Anglican bishop in Nigeria.
Let me not take you too far by limiting my examples to these two figures. So when did we drop the bar? How did we get to begin to consider the delusional vision of a self aggrandizing bandit? The recurring decimal of corruption who suddenly shot up as a self proclaimed leader wants us to decide along his thoughts and we are chanting “change” like sheep being led to the slaughter. Is this how the dignity of our race ends?!
The March 28 presidential election would be significant because it would help determine once and for all the true leader of the “Yoruba nation” after the death of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
If the Yorubas vote for Buhari because their son is the national leader of the South-west, then it will prove that (Asiwaju) Bola Tinubu is the undisputed leader of the Yorubas. This is because his people have spoken and therefore hearkened to Tinubu’s directives.
“But if not, then it will be laid to rest that Tinubu is not the leader of the Yorubas. As you can see, some recognised leaders of the South-west have decided and urged their followers in the zone to vote for President Jonathan as the preferred presidential candidate.
This is why Jonathan will beat Buhari hands down in Yorubaland and indirectly settle the leadership role among the Yorubas.
In the Second Republic, even in the First Republic, the Yorubas obeyed the directive of Chief Awolowo and voted according to his instruction. This is what the coming election will prove and I bet you, the reverse would be the case.
While we celebrate the 106 posthumous birthday of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, let the Yorubas Think deep. Yoruba ronú. Power always sincerely, conscientiously, de très bon foi, believes itself right. People will always have enough power to assert themselves Stupid!
Sega Awosanya is a Brand, Technology, Business, Real Estate, Media & Political Analyst.
