Arewa Songs Of Conquest (2), By Yinka Odumakin

Solomon in the Bible carried out all possible experiments on behalf of humanity and documented it all in the Book of Ecclesiastics. Those immovable truths have proved inviolable to date. In like manner, Prophet Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo who created ethnic pride for the Yoruba country carried out loads of experiments with the Nigeria project and like Solomon and documented his findings in his various publications.

Unfortunately the Yoruba political landscape of today is littered with men who have never read a book from Awo even when they are in love with his glasses without his vision and his cap covering brains they never engage in thought.

It is not that difficult for such men to remove the ancient landmarks which their fathers have set and thus become a plaything and song themes on the lips of Arewa children like the gentleman I quoted extensively last week.

The summary of all Awo findings is that a multi-ethnic Nigeria can only prosper with its constituent units living in peace and happiness if it was run along federal principles. That was what Awo fought for all his political life that denied him “power at the centre” but he remains at the centre of political discourse in Nigeria, 28 years after his transition to higher glory.

And within those years arose strange children in Yorubaland who, buoyed by unearned wealth, felt the Awo way was not for them. They chose the Akintola road and with their media power they blackmailed those who insisted on the Awo path. They were able to mobilize a generation of angry and disoriented youth who were totally bereft of knowledge to act against their own enlightened self-interest. Like bewitched Galatians, they confused their own desires for good governance with Arewa quest for CHANGE of baton. In a matter of weeks, Arewa spokesmen are making it clear that the March 28 removal of the virus that entered their power computer was the only common denominator and hangers-on should find their level.

What a tragedy of victory! The stiff-necked adventurers who uncritically  assumed a day would come when Arewa would embrace power sharing are now doing what Yoruba call “aramora, iso kijipa”, like you are being whipped but you can’t afford to drop any tear. The children of Oduduwa who gave an identity and the formula to engage all nationalities with pride are now hovering like Almajiris in Abuja because they sacrifice their core values to play at their traducers’ area of strength. The gloom on their faces is worse than those of who lost elections. They are now busy tearing themselves into pieces jostling for who will be the senior in the slavery they have just sold themselves to. Like Fela Anikulapo Kuti around this time in 1984, “I just dey look and dey laugh”.

These folks lack any institutional memory to even understand the subtlety of those they are engaged in power game with. They are in a game whose rules of engagement they don’t have the faintest idea of. They didn’t know that the power of cash becomes immaterial when the key to the treasury is handed to those you thought you were funding. Some folks are so poor despite having tons of cash.

In 1962, Obafemi Awolowo in the course of the legislative sitting passed a note to the then Prime Minister of Nigeria, Tafawa Balewa. The content was “when can we see?”

The response was instant “why not now?” Pronto the Opposition Leader and the Prime Minister moved to his office and Awo stroked the frame of his glasses and looked straight into Balewa’s eyes, asking: “Mr PM, what is it I’m hearing about plans to impose emergency rule in Western Nigeria today?” Balewa laughed haughtily and said, “Come off it Chief Awolowo, how would you countenance such a wicked rumor? Do you not know how long a process it takes to do such a thing?”

Meeting ended and both men returned to the chambers. By the evening of that discussion, a state of emergency was declared in Western Nigeria.

…………..To be concluded!

Daily Times.