Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan and Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
The newly elected Yoruba leader, Prof. Banji Akintoye has raised the alarm that some powers have been treating Yoruba race as slaves.
He called on Yoruba to rescue themselves from the quagmire and fight with their ‘great powers’ and win.
He spoke against the alleged travails of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, ahead of the 2023 presidency and the perceived political intrigues play out between the north and the south.
Akintoye, who served in the Senate between 1979 and 1983 during the Second Republic, raised the alarm at the sidelines of the anniversary lecture, entitled: ‘Yoruba: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,’ organised by the Yoruba Heritage Group International Forum, held at House of Chiefs, Parliament Building, Secretariat, Ibadan, yesterday, to mark the 126th year that Kiriji War that engulfed Yorubaland for 16 years ended.
It was regarded as the longest civil war in the world, which started in 1877 and ended September 23, 1893. It was one of the internecine wars in Yorubaland in the 19th century.
Participants at the lecture said every September 23 is unique and by next year, it would be celebrated as a Yoruba National Day.
The lecture was attended by dignitaries including frontline historian, Prof. Bolanle Awe, ex-Nigerian footballer, Chief Segun Odegbami; former Director of Military Intelligence, General Ajibola Togun (retd), former Managing Director of Daily Times of Nigeria, Chief Tola Adeniyi and convener of Yoruba Koya, Otunba Deji Osibogun.
Akintoye stated: “The important thing is for us to find out exactly what is happening, because all we are hearing is just like a smoke, but we don’t know where the fire came from. There cannot be smoke without fire. Although we don’t know where the fire is, we can see the smoke all around.
“We have been hearing a lot of negative things about the vice president. So, whatever may be happening to him now demonstrated that, whoever is not part of the people who control the Federal Government of Nigeria is only allowed in the Federal Government on surveillance and tolerance. So, the person can be kicked out whenever they like. There are people among those controlling the Federal Government who have a lot of heavy questions to answer, but they were protected by the powers that be.
“Yoruba are in a terrible situation in Nigeria because the travail Osinbajo is going through show that we are now becoming like slaves in this country. So, we need to dig ourselves out of it.”
Daily Sun had reported yesterday a plot to remove Osinbajo with some allegations against him dating back to when he was acting president in May 2017, when President Muhammadu Buhari was in the United Kingdom on medical leave, consequent upon Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Meanwhile, Christian cleric, Adewale Giwa has advised Osinbajo to speak out on his current purported travail in government, just as he called for proper findings regarding his relationship with President Buhari.
Giwa who is the Senior Pastor of the Awaiting The Second Coming of Jesus Christ Gospel Church, Akure, Ondo State, urged those behind the rumour to focus on salient issues affecting Nigerians rather than crying for someone who did not cry to them.
“The vice president has not cried out for help. He is still very pleased with his position. Removing Osinbajo or relegating his office to the backyard does not reduce the price of rice or garri. Has the vice president been thinking about Nigerians who wallow in abject poverty or who are being killed on daily basis? Has he been doing what majority of Nigerians want or has he been responding to important issues that have to do with the common man?”
“Nigeria is a funny country and only a courageous and sincere person can speak for the people.