Debunking the Northern Myth of the So-called Belief in Violence by the Yorubas and the Supremacy of Ethnicity as Factors in Nigerian Politics
By
Omoba Oladele Osinuga
It
is imperative that in writing this article, issues raised in previous
articles by Ahmed Tafida Jalingo titled “Ethnic cleaning Hausa/Fulani in
Dilemma” Dr Aliyu Tilde’s; “Ige and nemesis” have sought to
misrepresent the role of the Yoruba’s in nation building. In shaming a
minority group of writers who take delight in peddling disunity and
asserting cultural hegemony, I should start by espousing my antecedents and
family ties to Northern Nigeria (could they say the same about themselves?).
Firstly two uncles of mine both of blessed memory, Chief Hassan Odukale the
late Chief Executive and Founder of Leadway Assurance PLC and his brother Pa
A. Odukale, late Principal Private Secretary to the golden voice of
Africa the late Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa extolled the
virtues of coexistence, tolerance and living in harmony with people of
Northern Nigeria. Secondly my spouse’s maternal grandmother family ties
are Hausa. Thirdly as an indigene of the Ijebu Remo, a substantial minority
of Hausa/Fulani have resided in the Sabo area of Sagamu – Remo since the
turn of the last century. At this juncture it is pertinent to address the
issues raised by certain disingenuous Northern writers within the past few
weeks.
The
taxonomic models espoused by Aliyu Tilde’s article are flawed and
defective as he has not showed an exhaustive analysis of how he has deduced
that the Yorubas as a tribe are ethno centric. Empirical evidence from major
urban cities in Yoruba show that when compared to other towns in the
federation, Yoruba towns have a high proportion of non Yoruba living in
these urban centres. In comparison to other parts of the country, non –
speaking Yoruba and non – Yoruba people find it a lot easier to adjust to
living in Yoruba towns and cities.
Aliyu
Tilde’s unjustified attacks on two great Yoruba icons are baseless,
without foundation and malicious falsehood. An attack on Yoruba legends is
not only a direct attack on the entire Yoruba people but also a denial of
the main issue in Nigerian Politics spanning over six decades.
Tilde’s accusation that Chief Obafemi Awolowo was a tribalist and indeed
the very nature of Yoruba contains not an iota of truth. In faulting
Tilde’s assertion, lets examine and evaluate the facts. A tribalist would
not step down from a safe job as a Premier of the Western Region to contest
a Federal election nor could he serve as an impeccable and outstanding
deputy chairman of the Federal Executive council and Federal Commissioner of
Finance in that role laying the foundation for a robust and stable economy
of the post war Nigeria. More so, a tribalist would not have led his
people’s support for a Federation when a part of the Federation secedes,
seeks the support of the Yorubas’ in its cause and declares a civil war.
Furthermore a tribalist would not contest a Federal presidential election
twice neither would he actively participate in nation building as a member
of the Constituent Assembly. In his attack on Awo’s refusal to participate
in Shagari’s second republic so called coalition government, Tilde’s
article displays ad ignoratiam understanding of the presidential
system of government and in fact coalition governments, as such governments
by their very nature disregard the electoral process and the will of
electorate.
Tilde’s
assertion that the late Chief Bola Ige as Attorney General used his nolle
proseque powers through the back door (whatever that means) to
release Odua Peoples Congress OPC Ganiyu Adams is a tacky attempt to tarnish
the integrity of Uncle Bola. The nolle proseque powers of the
Attorney General is conventionally used in common law jurisdictions if all
or any of the following conditions are present in a prosecution case, namely
if the evidence is insufficient for a prosecution, secondly if it is not in
the public interest to proceed with the prosecution and lastly if there is
no realistic chance of a conviction. I think it is reckless for the writer
to suggest that such powers are used through the back door when there
is no evidence to suggest it has. A
sad pattern of events have emerged since the untimely assassination of Uncle
Bola, It is only cowards who peddle and write copperplated nonsense
about a deceased person as a subject on which their article is based and the
subject is not in a position to debunk such lies, damned lies and sophistry.
The
culture and cycle of violence has unfortunately been an intricate part of
politics in Nigeria irrespective of the geographic region. To claim that a
particular ethnic group or part of the nation has a long-standing history of
bloodshed is a calculated falsehood designed to orchestrate a brutal image
of particular groups of people.
It
is a historical fallacy to proclaim that the Yoruba nation was on the verge
of self annihilation – could an ethnic group led in Eko (Yoruba for the
imperialist Portuguese name Lagos) by successive Obas Akintoye and
Dosumu respectively who led their peoples gallant resistance to the
colonialist domination in their (colonialists) degradation and bombing of
Lagos before they could proclaim Lagos a British protectorate. On the
contrary which minority ethnic group in a majority ethnic group area totally
dominates all facets of life within the region they inhabit. Furthermore how
could an ethnic group who have migrated from the corner of West Africa come
to dominate in a foreign land – the conquest of Northern Nigeria by the
Sokoto caliphate was far from being a welcoming tea or burukutu party
held by the indigenous people but a calculated conquest and domination of
the indigenous people in guise of a jihad. The bloodshed and
systematic annihilation of indigenous people was based on violence pure and
simple. The tactics of violence and intimidation used in the North can be
traced from the era of the Sokoto caliphate. No other geographical region
dismisses qualified non - indigene Civil servants for the sake of employing
unqualified and semi illiterate persons from their own stock.
The
killings and barbaric slaughter of minorities in the North in the name of
religion is a smoke screen by powerful establishment elements to destabilise
the government of the federal republic led by a Southerner. This cabal of
undesirable elements call for the president to intervene in disturbances in
parts of the country other than theirs smacks of hypocrisy. These people
seem to forget that we operate under the rule of law in that the president
cannot order the arrest of a group of persons or proclaim any such group
illegal without recourse to the legal due process.
If only the vigour in which so called commentators from certain parts of the Nation continue to make snipe and derogatory remarks about the Yorubas’ was channelled into Nation building, may be our great country would be a better place to live in. Perhaps the perceived threat of the Yoruba’s is based on the fact that no other ethnic group with a high population in the whole of Africa inhabits a single geographical region encompassing the Western part of Nigeria and the Eastern part of the Republic of Benin, has a unique language, a rich history, a vibrant culture, customs and tradition and a strong sense of identity. The exemplary role of the Yorubas' in nation building cannot be overemphasised most importantly encapsulated in the gallantry in which Yoruba soldiers fought for the federal side during the civil war and the resistance to the oppressive Abacha regime led by the likes of Pa Abraham Adesanya. It’s time for the revisionists to wake up and smell the coffee - No one ethnic group in Nigeria can proclaim that without them there can be no Nigeria (as a particular ethnic group likes to) – that assertion in itself is a destabilising and inhibiting factor in the unity of our great Nation. Each and every ethnic group has a role to play in the unity of Nigeria and it is plainly wrong for any ethnic group to espouse that they have a divine right (again as some have proclaimed) to govern Nigeria. My model and indeed our ideal model for a united Nation is exemplified in the patriotic support given to our great national team, the Super Eagles by our diverse ethnic groups during matches played them.