As I grow older, particularly as a student of history, I’m more reflective about developments in our country. The brash, abrasive “I’m always right” mentality, particularly in the South West, needs to be interrogated.
One thing l love about the North, in spite of their differences, the northern intelligential, knows how to manage their political disagreements without rupturing their collective interest.
This word “betrayal” that is now part of Yoruba political lexicon is interesting.
In 1979, MKO Abiola, who was a chieftain of the ruling NPN, was accused of betrayal against a fellow Yoruba, Chief Obafemi Awolowo of the UPN when Awolowo contested for the presidency. He was accused of being part of the scuttling of Awo’s political ambition. Awolowo’s Tribune continuously lacerated Abiola, while Abiola ‘s Concord consistently replied in the same measure, till 1982 when Abiola was frustrated out of the NPN.
Some years later, yesterday’s “betrayer” became the symbol of the Yoruba political interest with his emergence on June 12, 1993. Suddenly, no one talked about “betrayal” of the Yoruba race again when he ran for the presidency.
On October 20, 1999, a leading star of the Yoruba race, Gani Fawehinmi escaped death by the whiskers when his Pajero jeep was attacked at the premises of the Federal High Court, over his litigation against Governor Tinubu on the Chicago matter. Thanks to Gani’s senior driver, Ajibade who manoeuvred the vehicle where Gani was, out of harm’s way, with the vehicle heavily damaged. Gani was a fellow Yoruba who was almost killed by the supporters of fellow yoruba but nobody talked about it.
Bola Ige was a leading light of the Yoruba race but was exterminated by the system because of perceived threat to Obasanjo’s re-election, even though l strongly believe that what happened to Bola Ige was without Obasanjo’s imprimatur.
Yet, we haven’t learnt our lessons. Politicians don’t have problems with themselves; rather, I’m more afraid of political supporters who, for whatever reasons, do the dirty work they were not sent by their principals. How many children of politicians do we see exchanging insults on the social media? They are busy enjoying the money while we insult each other on the social media.
I have often wondered why this betrayer sobriquet is so pronounced in the South West. This brings me back to how the northerners are far ahead of us in how they handle and manage their political differences.
In the Second Republic, when Abubakar Rimi fell out with Aminu Kano in the PRP, the northerners in the Aminu Kano-led PRP faction didn’t shout betrayal. They were able to manage their differences.
When General Buhari overthrew his fellow northerner, Shehu Shagari, and when Babangida overthrew Buhari, the northerners didn’t shout betrayal. But when Shonekan was appointed the Interim president after the annulment of Abiola ‘s June 12, we fought Shonekan to the standstill till Abacha exploited the gap and slipped in. The rest is history.
I thought we would have used our previous experiences to guide our present but no. Any political disagreement is termed betrayal, even by those who knew nothing about the disagreement. Our fanatical political allegiance has beclouded our reason. Even a 94 year-old pa Ayo Adebanjo, in the twilight of his life, was serially insulted by some Yoruba because of disagreement in perspective.
Once there is a political disagreement within the political elite in the South West, it’s all a shout of betrayal, even without hearing from the parties involved. Ija ni shaa. Se won fi se wa ni? Are we actually thinking of what becomes of the Yoruba race after we are out of power? As l often say, tables do turn. Let’s be circumspect and tread cautiously when we have diverse political disagreement. We are not in North Korea.
-Richard Akinnola
