Yoruba People are not Predictable

EKITI people on Saturday, June 21, 2014 had their gubernatorial election, and its result’s announcement on Sunday 22nd of June 2014 reflected the true decision of voters, according to reports.

One should applaud Mr President for his consistency in
his offering of a free and fair election as reflected in the Ekiti election. One should also appreciate the spirit of sportsmanship of the incumbent governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who immediately congratulated the declared winner of the election.

I will like to highlight a very important point that Ekiti State is the only state in the South-West that is homogeneous; that is, consists of only one ethnic group. Homogeneity helps consensus and unanimity. This must have helped the winner to be victorious in all the local governments in the state.

Homogeneity detoxifies sentiment that blocks fluidity and sound political health. Ekiti State is placed at advantage of political structure that encourages sound decision and rapid development. Ekiti politics is immune to “Omo wa ni e je o se”. That is, ‘He’s the son of the soil let him be’.

I have always said that Awoism is a philosophy. Awoism is a philosophy based on egalitarianism. Yoruba are die-hard Awoists. Awoism is the political blood running in the veins of the Yoruba. They can never deviate from Awoism, because it has been their culture from the beginning.

Let me be more elucidatory on the philosophy called Awoism. Awoism is beyond Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Awolowo, who was the first premier of the old Western the old region, based his political programmes on the egalitarian culture of the Yoruba people. Awoism is beyond personality; that is why Chief Awolowo’s political shoe is not hereditary.

At this juncture, I will like members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in South Western Nigeria to reflect through the Ekiti decision if they had not deviated from this philosophy.

The infrastructural development of APC controlled South Western states is conspicuous however, how much is it of immediate benefit to the jobless youths and delinquent destitute, majority of who cannot afford to spend N300 per day.

The APC in the South West should think very seriously if their present predilection and flair for political offices and positions as political patronage for political leaders, royal fathers and pecuniary sponsors are acceptable to the people.

Finally, I will appeal to the government controlled media of these APC states to be less sycophantic and create programmes whereby people would let out their emotions about the government policies so that the governors would have the privileges of seeing themselves in the mirror.

•Folu Oyeleye, Ibadan.