EKITI ‘LAND OF HONOR’ DISENGAGED FROM “RIG AND ROAST” POLITICAL PROCESS
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The Ekiti people applied their local approach to solve their local challenges; not comfortable with the remote control governance. Meanwhile they have not benefited much from Fayemi’s administration, remotely controlled outside the State. The election halted political Mortgage in Ekiti Land. Intelligently Fayemi would not contest the election result and people must maintain peace.
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Prof. Femi Ajayi
EKITI ‘LAND OF HONOR’ DISENGAGED FROM “RIG AND ROAST” POLITICAL PROCESS |
ongratulations to the Ekiti People for their superior political maturity displayed at the just concluded June 2014 Elections in the State. They prudently refused to be used as the window opportunity for a political violence in the South-West; with full respect, and honor for the Traditional Institution across Yorubaland, as not “Useless” and “Sell-Out.” Ekiti Citizens made citizens of the world proud of their heritage and distanced itself from violent behaviour that heralded the African Style of British Parliamentary system translated to “Rig and Roast” modern style of political heartlessness.
Ekiti election has come and gone and the State is peaceful. Out of 120,430 votes, PDP had 203,090, APC got 120,430 votes and the LP had 18, 135 votes.
As Tip O’Neil, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives in the USA, once said, “All politics is local.” When you are going to the battle front, you need to fully equip yourself to win the battle, not retrieving to regroup when the battle front is tough. Fayose understood the ingredients needed in Ekiti politics, which he applied very well. He once mobilised the Okada operators in one of his campaign trails, and rode across the cities to demonstrate that he understands Ekiti politics to the core. Ekiti politics is beyond the academic exercise alone; however, it needs some practical touches.
Ekiti People, Fayemi, Fayose Cast their votes
Fayemi, a complete gentleman, peoples’ man, disagreed with the script, “not to go to court but take them out” principles of APC. He honorably accepted the mandate of Ekiti people. According to him, “we must all start imbibing the attitude that will make us avoid activities that can threaten our peaceful co-existence. We must also avoid the bad loser syndrome. I believe we need to build this democracy to a mature end, rather than pull it down. Ekiti is also unique. We all have ties dated back to centuries, so we are not disagreeable in any way. Today, Ekiti is victorious. We have shown the world that politics can be played with decorum and restraint.” He distanced himself from “Rig and Roast” principles as it was too late to win the election any way
Fayose has vowed to keep Fayemi’s legacy and apply continuity in his promised ‘reformed’ new administration.
Fayemi is a Complete Gentleman
APC leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu stated on May 9, 2014, at the Central Mosque in Ijebu Ode, during the special prayer session to mark the 80th birthday celebration of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, Awujale and Paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Ogbagba II, as the best traditional ruler in Yorubaland. More important though, the Awujale of Ijebuland does not belong to the “useless” and “sell-out” Yoruba Obas.
In his clear statement, Tinubu stated that, “You are not part of the useless Obas in Yorubaland who will sell out, {emphasis mine} we know them, and it is not yet time to mention names. In Yorubaland today, you are the best monarch and that is not contestable. The good Obas’ in Yorubaland, who are forthright, firm and stand by the truth are not up to five, they are just three. Oba Awujale, Oba Akiolu and another. May you live long in good health and abundant God blessing,”
Stop insulting our obas Ekiti People Reacted Democratically Amosun, Tinubu at Awujale’s ceremony
Tinubu sound very clever to have mentioned two out of three, while the ‘third’ could be academically coined into politics, could mean that the rest Obas, not mentioned, are not “useless” and “sell-out.” Culturally, only one is left, the rest are “useless” and “sell-out.”
Decent people of the world congratulated Ekiti Royal Fathers for invalidating the stigma as being “useless” and “sell-out.” I doubt if Fayemi thought of defending the Royal Fathers that they are not in the category designated by Tinubu. The ridiculing of the entire Traditional Institution in Yorubaland is an embarrassment to the Yoruba culture.
Honest Citizens of the world are waiting to see how other Traditional Rulers across the Yorubaland, especially in those states controlled by APC, would react to their Governors’ acceptance of Tinubu’s stigma on Yoruba Obas as “Useless” and “Sell-Out”; since no single one of them in Oyo, Lagos, Kwara, Kogi, and Edo States, come out to defend their Traditional leaders, except for Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, who describe traditional rulers as custodians of culture.
It is shocking that Amosun could not teasingly or tactfully correct that statement said to his face, where the message was delivered, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, that only one Yoruba Oba is good in Ogun State, while the rest of them are “Useless” and “Sell-Out”, including Akarigbo of Remoland, the Alake of Egba, especially my highly respected Olowu of Owu, where Governor Amosun hailed from, is disgusting and vehemently rejected.
Interpreting that would mean that if their Traditional Rulers are “useless” and “sell-out,” all their subjects are the same, except the Oba of Lagos and the Awujale of Ijebu Land. In another word, the Yoruba People are “useless” and “sell-out.”
Yoruba Ronu!
Ekiti people vehemently discarded that stigma, through the June 2014 Ekiti election, that they are not “Useless” and “sell-out.”
Definitely, Tinubu’s statement is a calculated attempt to cause disunity among Yoruba revered Royal Fathers by playing certain Obas against others. Could that be a continuation of the APC’s contempt for Yoruba traditional institution?
The Survey says the traditional rulers in Ekiti State are not useless, while they take serious exception to any individual or group disrespecting their deified Obas. According to the statement, it is either Obas in Ekiti State are not forthright, firm, and honest, or there is just one of them that are forthright and honest, since Tinubu had already mentioned two Obas among the three he believed are forthright in Yorubaland.
This author believes that Owa Samuel Oluleye Adelodun, Ataiyese Ilufemiloye I, Owa Lobbo of Obbo-Aiyegunle, in Ekiti Local Government of Kwara State, is not “Useless” and “Sell-Out.” He has joined all other Royal Fathers in Yorubaland; the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Okunade Sijuade, Olubuse II; The Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, His Royal Majesty, Timi of Ede, Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Soun of Ogbomoso, Alake of Egbaland, the Akarigbo of Remoland, Olubadan of Ibadan, Ataoja of Oshogbo, Olofa of Offa, Olu of Ikeja, Alara of Ilara, Alaketu of Ketu, Olowo of Owo, Olupo of Ajesse-Ipo, Elese of Igbaja, and other countless other royal personages across Yorubaland, that they are not “Useless” and “Sell-Out”.
Yorubas are waiting passionately for Tinubu, to release the name of the third ‘upright’ traditional ruler in the land, or profusely apologize to Kabiyesis.
Yoruba Traditional Rulers are deservedly respected across the land and in their respective domains. Ironically, Tinubu owns Chieftaincy titles from some of the “useless” and “sell-out” Yoruba Traditional Rulers. He is the Asiwaju of Lagos. Agba Akin of Ijeshaland; Aare of Ile-Oluji; Aare Atayese of Ilawe Ekiti, Aare Ago of Egba land, among others.
Customarily, a son will not insult his culture. Ekiti People believe that Tinubu arrogance is nauseating; believing that he who spits on his culture spits on himself.
Fayemi should pay visits to all Traditional Rulers in Ekiti State, not inviting them to the Government house, to copiously contrite for his silence over the statement credited to his political godfather and dissociate himself from the destroyer statement of being “useless” and “sell-out.”
Anything different from that will be loutish!
Ironically, Tinubu’s method of “rig and roast” stated at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, when awarded the honorary Doctor of Science in Management Science, as a way of building Nigeria democracy, sailed through without any educative response from the school. Tinubu’s statement that “going to court this time would be ruled out, and they would take them out,” is not the way to go in the modern democracy. The local violence period, using the Yoruba people used as guinea-pigs, is over, as demonstrated by the June 2014 Ekiti election.
The Ekiti people honorably and respectfully responded very well and took the advice of US Consul General, Jeff Hawkins, based on their culture that, “The sponsorship of violence and intimidation, and the rhetorical threat thereof, are utterly unacceptable in a democratic society, and need to be expunged once and for all from the Nigerian polity and discourse. … It is perfectly acceptable, and even praiseworthy, to seek to defend your vote and that of your fellow citizens who share your support for a particular candidate. It is not, however, productive or reasonable to threaten violence, even when you perceive others have been guilty of misconduct. We were deeply troubled by the threat of “rig and roast” issued multiple times by a major political figure in recent weeks. Who benefits from that type of violent rhetoric, we wondered? And why would any ordinary Nigerian accept such provocative language, especially considering the history of post-election violence in Nigeria, and the truly horrific carnage that this country has been suffering at the hands of Boko Haram?” Nigeria is yet to recover from the violent that erupted after the 2011 Presidential election bred by such violent rhetoric of CPC leader then.
None of the APC Governors refuted the statement credited to Tinubu. Nigeria leaders should preach non-violence approach to political matters in all ramifications.
Tinubu is using Kano to enhance his statement instead of focussing on his immediate environment, his culture, and turned around to insult the Royal Fathers in Yorubaland. If the current state of Nigeria economy (June 2014) has grown passed that of South Africa, the current administration created that opportunity to build his empire. On the other hand, if the growth does not translate to employment in the country, it is like Tinubus who refused to translate it to the people with their wrong direction in the Nigeria economy.
Osun State may be able to escape, while Oyo and Ogun should be ready to face their subjects as their Governors are mute about their Royal Fathers being “Useless” and “Sell-Out.”
What a serious message to those politicians that have no political principles except to be chasing their personal dreams against those people they are supposed to lead. The Holy Book agrees that the House built with breeze will definitely be swept with a little wind. The way APC came into the South West, is the way it would go back to its source, ending politics of deceit. APC could be history in the South-West.
Now that the election in Ekiti has come and gone without bloodshed, pointed to the fact that people reacted faithfully and devotedly to the culture and tradition of their Fore-Fathers to the core. It was a clear message to any leader that used his left hand to point to the father’s house.
The election was won by the people’s vote, not through the bastardized Court Room. This is a message to Osun State, as the enlightened Ekiti people vehemently REFUSED to sell their birthright with a bowl of porridge.
The uncultured politicized leaders who have no respect for the Traditional Institution, who want to be bribed and worshipped before they do their job in recognizing the positions of their ancestral title, would be getting their rewards, regardless their status across the universe. June 2014 Ekiti election was a direct message to the politicians that have no values being in politics, as some of them are discourteous to the Traditional Institution, building their monstrous political castle at the expense of the welfare of their people.
Ekiti people have spoken that they are not “Useless” and “sell-out”, as they respect their Obas and the Traditional Rulers; while Osun, and later Oyo and Ogun, would tell the whole world if their Royal Fathers are “useless” or “sell-out”, APC possibly wooing Oyinlola of Osun State to agree with that statement; despite the accomplishments of Aregbesola.
A visit to Oyinlola shortly after Ekiti election as initiated by Oyegun
Treat citizens’ traditions with paramount reverence and decorum!!!
