Yoruba nation politics in grave peril
Sir: The position of the Yoruba Council of Elders on restructuring is a bottleneck position and damaging to the progress made so far on the clamour for restructuring from the people.
“Legitimacy for a government derives not only from winning an election but also from performance and responsiveness. Prolonged dismal economic performance coupled with corruption leads to loss of legitimacy. Where these factors are present, it can amongst others earn displacement or replacement – former President Obasanjo, in his book, My Watch, (page 280).
Other listed factors include intimidation, oppression and corruption. These do not buy legitimacy. Paraphrasing the General’s thought further, rather they compound the problem of legitimacy which must be ramifying. When the bubble bursts, nothing holds and the stench pervades.” Take it, or leave it, these are the critical thoughts of a philosopher-king and statesman.
Towing this line of thought in order to prevent acrimonious and unsettling reactions in the polity, this regime should do the needful–give the dying country a dose of the restructuring drug to restore it back to life. If the regime of President Buhari, Major General (rtd), thinks the clamour has been on for quite a while and successive governments ignored it and nothing happened. That was then. The factors on the ground now are different.
Coming to the position of Yoruba Council of Elders on restructuring, it is history repeating itself. The sell-out did not start today. Remember, the NCNC almost took the Western region, an odd exception to what then obtains in the Eastern and Northern regions in the politics of those days. However, across the length and breadth of Yoruba land today, the majority are advocating restructuring. The Yoruba Council of Elders is in the Minority. “Yoruba Ronu” saga here with us again, but thank God, the Ogoni experience will not be duplicated or replicated in Yoruba land. Yoruba land has been polluted by Fulani bandits, Fulani herdsmen murderers and rapers, Fulani kidnappers, etc. Okay! YCE. Many politicians in power see their status and privileges as sacrosanct. They are their entitlements and they will resist any move to give it up. The Yoruba Council of Elders is the mouthpiece of these categories of politicians in power. We saw the same mindset in Apartheid South Africa.
Many of the political elite in power now feel threatened by the restructuring revolution that will come with sweeping changes. A definite success parameter for the restructuring is a defiance campaign led by indefatigable surviving veteran activists with their walking sticks pouring into the streets. No army in the world can stop them. Veterans like Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Femi Okunnu, (SAN), Chief Femi Falana (SAN), the rabble-rousing fire eater, Pastor Tunde Bakare. Professor Altahiru Jega, Chief Mike Ozekhome OFR, (SAN) and others too numerous to mention here. I can assure us, within 48 hours, this regime’s stubborn resistance to restructuring will collapse like a pack of cards.
John R. Jimoh, 4, Olukoya Street, Molipa, Ijebu-ode.
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.
0 Comments
We will review and take appropriate action.