OPINION
By Ifatunde Abiola
Why Yorubas Should Support Bola Tinubu’s 2023 Presidential Ambition
At an event marking the 6th year coronation of Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi ( the Ojaja II), he said in his speech that other Yoruba leaders should support Asiwaju i.e Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2023 presidential aspiration.
He (Ooni) mentioned that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu never got to the position of national hero by accident, but by God’s intention.
As usual, some Yoruba leaders have been warning our revered King not to throw his weight behind any aspirant for the presidency in 2023.
The question is this, how many aspirants of Yoruba origin have popularity that crosses the borders of their states? The truth is this, currently, Yoruba has three people who might contest for the position of the Nigerian President under the APC, which is the ruling party in 2023.
Number one among them is the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the second person is the current Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and the third person is the nation’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.
Without any iota of doubt, the popularity of the current Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi doesn’t go beyond his state, which is the smallest state in the South Western part of Nigeria.
In the neighbouring and sister states to Ekiti state, Ondo, Osun, Kogi and Kwara states, Gov. Fayemi can’t win either in a primary or general election of any local government in the states, let alone in far away Kano or Zamfara state.
In a free and fair election, Gov. Fayemi will be defeated by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinibu if the next president was to be decided by Ekiti people only.
In the same vein, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo hasn’t come out to contest or show interest against his destiny helper (Asiwaju).
On several occasions, he (Osinbajo) declined his readiness for the race once Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is interested.
It is obvious that only the person in the race for the presidency from the South West is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. If he steps down tomorrow on any ground, it may be for Prof. Osinbajo that would replace him not Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state and we all know that Fayemi’s aspiration can’t fly beyond Isan Ekiti, his home town.
As much as I’m not hell-bent that Tinubu must be the only candidate for the office from the South West, it’s obvious that no aspirant is politically serious and has a widespread acceptability beyond his state or a region except Tinubu.
The recent caution of Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi by some Yoruba leaders is unacceptable.
Many Yoruba Kings have openly endorsed Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s aspiration, the recent open support for him by Arole Oduduwa only showed that Yorubas are wiser now.
Previous Oonis were diehard supporters of the late Yoruba leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo
The late Ooni of Ife, Oba (Sir) Titus Adesoji Aderemi (Atobatele1) was one of the best kings Yoruba race ever produced in pre and post independence of this great country.
He was the Governor General of the Western Region between 1960 and 1962, and he was one of the pillars of the Action Group, Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s party and a die-hard supporter of the Ikenne Ogun State-born foremost and evergreen political leader of Yoruba race (The Great Awo).
The highly respected Ooni of Ife started his reign in 1930 and died in 1980.
He was a first class Oba and a permanent leader of the whole South West kings for the entire 50 years of his reign as Arole Oduduwa (the heir of Oduduwa).
In a similar manner, the late Alayeluwa, Oba Okunade Sijuade was the 50th Ooni of Ife and he reigned from 1980 to 2015, the immediate predecessor of our current Ooni of Ife (Oba Enitan Ogunwusi).
Sijuade worked in the Nigerian Tribune as a young man for two years. He worked directly under the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who was his mentor and a good relationship was established between the duo that spanned their entire lives.
The late Oba Sijuade said he was encouraged to contest for the stool of Ooni of Ife following the demise of Oba Aderemi by the late political guru, and former Premier of the Western Region, Awolowo in 1980.
He initially rejected the plea of this Yoruba political leader on the ground that he was very prosperous and had acclimatized with the life in the United Kingdom, where he was residing, but Chief Awolowo insisted that he must come back home to assume the position of Ooni of Ife, the rest is now history.
The two previous Ooni of Ife never hid their support for Chief Obafemi Awolowo or his party throughout his lifetime.
The recent outburst and criticism of the current Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi by some Yoruba leaders is discourteous (ill-bred) and deep rooted in their hatred for Tinubu (their blood brother).
It is a pity that these leaders haven’t changed from their attitude that led Yoruba, vis a vis the entire nation to the current sorrowful state.
In conclusion, the present Onirisa of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, (Ojaja II) is a youth and a shinning light of the entire Yoruba race and black people generally.
Our great King of Yoruba tribe has spoken from his divine wisdom and inspirations. It’s left for Yoruba people and entire Nigerians to decide which path to follow.
One of the people that are criticizing our Onirisa today has a record in history of preventing the late Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo from achieving his greatest dream on earth of becoming the President of Nigeria.
Also, the untimely retirement of Oba (Major General) Olufemi Olutoye (retd.), the current Alani of Idoani in Ondo State from the Nigerian Army without any offence is part of their deeds.
They said that the late Chief MKO Abiola was not our Messiah during the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election struggle. These are some of the unspeakable evils they did to Yoruba race in the past.
Kabiyesi, we are with you on this, you have spoken well for Yoruba race, leave the elders who have chosen to follow the path of bitterness and unforgiveness to their conscience, we will all give account of our lives before God.
If Tinubu would win the next presidential election in Nigeria, it all depends on his destiny. Humanly speaking, Jagaban of Borgu, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done well for Nigerian democracy, he has tried his best, it remains God to determine his fate, not mortal man.
*Ifatunde Abiola writes from Ogbomosho, Oyo State
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