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Why Obafemi Awolowo. Adekunle Fajuyi and Odunayo Rotimi Akeredolu and Banji Akintoye and Majasola Igboho would forever remain Yoruba Heroes in life and in death.
Shakespeare the greatest British fictional novelist and genius once wrote and I quote that:
“Cowards die many times before their death but the valiant never taste death but once”
I am writing this article to forever remember and to eulogize these Yoruba Heroes just as much as I recognize the great Oodua who has now assumed the status of a local Deity in Yoruba Mythology.
Some have called the progenitor of the Yorubas “Oodua Afewonro” Atererekaiye Ajalaiye Ajalorun pretty much like some have referred to “Ifa Orunmila, Ifa Omima, Atererekaiye O Soro Dayo” as defined by late Pa Olaofe Kumuyi of Ijero- Ekiti, Omo Ajero Asote m’oru of “O jo bi Uno, O gba bi Etu” fame.
There is only one thing that the Yorubas even in our Tower of Babel Persona, do speak with one voice about.
It is that we are all descendants of Oodua and that “Ile Ife” is our ancestral home and the cradle of Yoruba Civilization.
We do speak different dialects or variations of the one and only Yoruba Language but what is important is that we do have some basic understanding of what we are talking about when we speak.
The late Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi the Third, May his soul rest in peace.
“Iku Baba Yeye, Omo Iku, Omo Arun, Ojo Pa Shekere Omo Atiba one of the greatest Yoruba Historians and royal fathers of our generation who was as bold as a Lion, and would “tell it like it is” without fear or favor, once told Oyo State Governor and some of his senior staff to their faces that they disrespect and disgrace themselves and the Yoruba Culture, if they think they could intimidate the Alaafin.
Oba Lamidi Adeyemi did recognize in his life time that Ile Ife is our ancestral home and that the Yorubas are all the descendants of the great Oodua.
His affirmation was confirmed by the current Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba gha tokpere” Oba Ewuare the Second “O ro pupa bi Odide”
The charismatic “ Afinju Oba Ado, Otolu Apaara” also recognizes Ile Ife and Oodua and Oba Oranmiyan and his relationship to the great Eweka Dynasty of Benin which had taken over from the ancient Ogiso Dynasty of Benin Kingdom.
The late Alaafin of Oyo despite his refusal to be a second fiddle to the current Oonirisa as the “Arole Oodua” has never for once wavered or compromised his position on the fact that the Alaafin was among the 7 descendants of Oodua thru his only son Okanbi.
I did read so much about the History of Oodua and Ile Ife but I never met the great Oodua face-to-face but I did meet all of the 5 or 6 Yoruba folk Heroes I am writing about today.
Pa Obafemi Awolowo was an “Alujonu Iberu” as the first Premier of the Western Region who had led the Yorubas from 1948 to 1987 when he died and was buried like no other Yoruba leader I know.
I had the rare privilege of serving under him in 1974 as the Secretary of the Special Task Force on Student Financing which he presided over as Chairman while late Alhaji Shehu Shagari late Alhaji Shettima Ali Monguno and late Wenike Briggs had served as members.
Most Yorubas in my generation knew Awolowo only by name and by reputation but few knew him up close and personal like I do because he was my direct Boss and Chairman in the Federal Ministry of Finance with Alhaji Abdul Azeez the first son of Ohinoyi, the Attah of Igbira Land, as his Permanent Secretary and Alhaji Aminu Saleh as his Deputy.
Obafemi Awolowo was a fearless leader who had made the Western Region the pacesetter for progress and economic development in Nigeria.
At the Lancaster Conference held in London in 1954 and at the second conference held in 1959. Awolowo had the courage to raise a motion that the Nigerian 1959 Constitution must include a provision that must allow any of the 3 dominant regions of Nigeria to reserve the right to opt out of the Nigerian Federation if it feels marginalized or unhappy in the Union.
If that provision had been added to that Constitution, the Western Region and the Eastern Region would easily have secured their autonomy and freedom from the Nigerian Federation longest time without a need to fire a single shot. Biafra would never have been part of our tragic experience as 3 nations forced or merged into one by Lord Lugard against our best interest.
The Western Region led by Pa Obafemi Awolowo would have been far greater than Lee Kuan Yu’s Singapore today based on our comparative track record.
Pa Obafemi Awolowo had singlehandedly ended the Biafran War from 1967 to 1970 thru his brain power by using the stroke of his pen to change the Nigerian Currency and to force or guarantee the end of the War that was causing more harm than good to the whole nation.
Pa Obafemi Awolowo remains the Yoruba Hero for that reason for life, I would submit.
Lieutenant Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi by boldly opposing the move by the Coup Plotters led by Theophillus Danjuma on July 29, 1966 and by bravely volunteering to die rather than betray and handover. General Aguiyi Ironsi to the Coup plotters because he did not want that man’s blood to be on the Head of the Yorubas forever.
Colonel Fajuyi had done something that the Yorubas would never forget for Eternity. He therefore remains one of our Yoruba Heroes for life.
Rotimi Akeredolu the Lion Governor of Ondo State remains our Hero for life for being a leading voice to establish the Amotekun Security Defense Force to protect the Yorubas from the slaughter of the Hausa/ Fulani marauders and kidnappers.
His decision to outlaw and ban open grazing of Cattle in Ondo State and his opposition to a unitary Government in Nigeria that would put everything under the control of the Federal Government predominantly led and dominated by the Hausa/Fulani Oligarchy was an act of courage for which he would never be forgotten and he would be buried as a great Yoruba Hero just like Pa Obafemi Awolowo and Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi.
The same acknowledgement goes to Professor Banji Akintoye and Erinlakatabu Majasola Igboho for their bravery in opposing the attempt by Hausa/Fulani Oligarchy to forever subjugate and hold back the progress of the Yoruba Southwest until the Far North is able to catch up with the South.
The Yorubas must not also forget 3 or shall I say 4 of our distinguished sons who knew how to kiss Ass and who knew how to stoop to conquer and who still found some ways to beat the Hausa/ Fulani at their game to forever dominate and rule Nigeria much to our peril as a people.
One of them is General Olusegun Obasanjo who has managed to become the longest-serving President of Nigeria by some miracle.
There was Ernest Shonekan, who was President of Nigeria for less than a year.
There was M.K.O Abiola whose election was wrongly annulled and there is Bola Ahmed Tinubu the current President who had fought tooth and nail to beat the Hausa/Fulani in their game to win the presidency on a platter of gold despite all of the obstacles placed on his way.
We all have to give all of these Yoruba Heroes kudos for making the Yorubas proud and competitive and by not allowing the Hausa-Fulani to forever dominate Nigeria and to reduce the very progressive Yoruba Southwest to their errand boys forever.
I have noticed one particular Yoruba popular son and Podcast named Babagbagede Imo Saburi Adebayo Omo Baba teacher l’Abeokuta who has been using his popular platform to create an awareness in the Yoruba Race to wake up to the dangers and the threats our people face in the Commonwealth of Nigeria and the sacrifices we have so far made all to no avail. We the Yorubas owe the young man a debt of gratitude as one of our unsung Heroes.
Great Governor Odunayo Rotimi Akeredolu who at only 67 has just been snatched away from us by the cold hand of Death was a great champion in that context and must be remembered and forever eulogized for that.
If the Hausa/Fulani Oligarchy continues to oppress and to subjugate and enslave the Yoruba, the Yorubas would have no other choice than to go our separate ways like IPOB or Biafra has been trying to do since 1967.
I rest my case.
