Senator Solomon Adeola and the burden of ancestral ties
Raheem Ajayi
I didn’t want to be part of the deep-seated controversy which the foray of Lagos Senator, Solomon Adeola, aka YAYI into Ogun politics has generated simply because I felt it wasn’t time for such. I had assumed that when the real time comes, the narrative on political correctness of any governorship candidate from Yewa land would be conveniently and conclusively situated. However, events in recent weeks have shown that the contest for 2019 governorship in Ogun State which is without controversy the turn of Ogun West Senatorial District may have begun in earnest.
An open letter which was written to YAYI by Omooba Damilare Oloyede; a native of Ado-Odo demanding his true origin has escalated the debate as to the desirability of electing a bonafide indigene of the long marginalised Ogun West rather than an impostor as the next governor of Ogun State. A couple of reactions to the letter and notably one from one of our brothers, Ajiroba Dapo Oke in apparent defence of YAYI have largely succeeded in substantiating the accusation. The defence has been unusually characterised by long heresy rather than facts; leaving readers bewildered and with more questions rather than answers.
As a Yewa man, from Imasayi Ajagidiagbo, I wouldn’t stand by and allow my land portrayed as a territory to be acquired based on falsehood and sheer political gerrymandering, no matter how noble or great such idea is branded or painted. I considered distasteful, the dimensions being introduced to the discuss about the origin of this accomplished politician suggesting that we are a people so subdued to the extent that power struggle now appear all about desperation and deception. In Yoruba land, one of the greatest insults on nobility is to portray a man as “Atowunrinwa”; a pitiable egoist with doubtful origin! The question remains why YAYI would allow himself to be put in this kind of awkward position on account of politics? Why would a man who has accomplished so much in Lagos State as erstwhile House of Assembly member, a former member of House of Representatives and a sitting Senator subject himself to ridicule on account furthering the political agenda in Ogun State being instigated by selfish power brokers ahead of 2019?
But do we really blame those who have raised doubts regarding the origin of a man who is seeking frantically to be their state governor? Those who may wish to argue that the origin of a governorship hopeful is immaterial at this time in our political history must be hypocritical and deceitful. If indeed the roots of Senator YAYI matters not, why revealing a historical and ancestral identities in 2014 while aspiring to be Senator from Ogun West and now singing a different tune in ahead of 2019? At what point exactly did he remember he is from Pahayi because as at 2014, he claimed to be from Joga Orile? This needless inconsistencies about the origin a supposedly governorship hopeful rather smacks of political desperation! To this extent, those arguing in support of Senator Adeola recent political faux pas should rather be telling us what exactly to hold on to in ascertaining the genuineness of his “ancestral homes” either in Joga Orile or Pahayi in Ogun West? Indigenes of Ogun West who relocated beyond the shores of Nigeria for decades are in contacts with their homestead much less a family who purportedly migrated to a neighbouring state of Lagos. Granted that Senator YAYI may not have been spotted in pictures as a young man with one or two of his kinsmen while growing up in the neighbourhoods, but what about his siblings, parents or close blood relations? This self-inflicted controversy orchestrated by one man’s ambition of serving us is rather unfortunate and should never have been allowed to divert our focus from accessing or evaluating the chances of authentic aspirants from Ogun West Senatorial Districts.
It should not be considered an excess of political engagement or sheer indulgence to raise questions as to where Senator’s Yayi’s father, grandfather or even great grandfather were buried in Yewaland? It is an incontrovertible fact that all politics are indeed local and that actors are essentially bound by the confines and latitudes of local persuasions when votes and mandate are at stake. This should be a lesson for others who only identify with their supposed place of origin when opportunities are primed to grab. Above all, YAYI has been consistently inconsistent about his real identity. Those now angling to defend the Senator at all costs should be ready to dig for more convincing facts to dissuade those who are genuinely concerned about the issue. They should speak in concrete and verifiable contexts rather than peddle heresies akin to the fable surrounding the legendary Oduduwa’s mythical descend from the skies in Ile-Ife.
A good historical defence of historical or ancestral tie should deal with salient posers without the arrogance of fairy narrative with intents and purposes of confusing the public. A historical or ancestral origin we cannot relate with would only condemn us as backward people in desperate need for a messiah for liberation. If the entire Ogun West will finally get a shot at the governorship seat in 2019; 43 years after the creation of Ogun State, we would rather be convinced those putting themselves in the front row of our collective aspiration are authentic Yewa-Awori indigenes by blood and not by “acquisition” fired by desperation. Senator Solomon Adeola YAYI has got impressive political credentials and anybody could wish to adopt him as a scion of his or her immediate family, but the collective agenda of Ogun West with respect to Ogun governorship seat come 2019 could not be sacrificed on the altar of wishful political mortification of any group or interest; no matter the blackmail. Demanding to know who exactly Senator YAYI is based on ancestral pedigree should not be considered too much to ask for; the same I do not think it’s too big a question to answer!
Raheem Ajayi wrote from Imasayi, Yewa North, Ogun State
