Former Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola has described the popular Yoruba expression “Emilokan” as a form of despotism.
In a viral video, Aregbesola discussed the political meaning of the phrase, which gained widespread prominence during President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 presidential campaign.
He argued that “Emilokan” does not simply mean it is someone’s turn to occupy a political office. Instead, he said the expression reflects a belief in a divine right to control a particular space and exercise authority over it.
“Despotism is a single word for Emilokan,” Aregbesola stated. “I don’t know if you understand what I mean. Despotism. You know, despot. A man who believes that he has a divine right to administer space and time. That’s Emilokan. Not Awalokan, not Egbelokan, no Eyanlokan.
“It is Emi. That is affirming a divine authority, a divine right… If that was not well understood then, I want to believe Nigerians now know what it really means. So we are now having it not just being merely said rhetorically, but being physically demonstrated. But Nigerians have the opportunity today to prevent the assault on democracy.”
Aregbesola insisted the phrase should not be interpreted as referring to the turn of an individual, group, or political organisation.
