Yoruba political leaders are too cold for comfort

SIR: The question that keeps pumping in my heart is whether our political leaders in Yoruba land are cowards, sold out, or heartless because of their political ambition. I could not believe that the situation in Nigeria has turned bad to the extent that Yoruba people have become second citizens in their own native land.

I remember the National Anthem of Nigeria, from 1960 until 1978: “Nigeria We Hail Thee, Our own dear native land, Though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand”…. The question is, does the country called Nigeria still exist? Really, tribes and tongue differ but do we stand in brotherhood? Since there have been incessant killings of the Yorubas in the South West, has Buhari’s voice been heard? Surprisingly, when Chief Sunday Igboho asked the Fulanis to quit Igangan in Yoruba land for peace, Buhari’s voice echoed. This is clear handwriting on the wall that the present administration of Nigeria does not represent all Nigerians, but a particular tribe. Why then do we call Nigeria a nation?

Fulanis in the Southwest still receive the strong support from their political and association leaders. The same leaders who are supposed to protect the interest of all Nigerians. It is time for our political leaders in Yoruba land to represent the interest of our people. Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association ( MACBAN) and two Northern governors flew to the Southwest to solicit the peaceful coexistence of their brothers when they were asked to exit Ondo State forest. What a true brotherhood? But reverse be the case when our Yoruba people were incessantly kidnapped, raped, and killed. We did not hear our political leaders’ voices, either as individuals or groups, talk less of seeing them springing to action. Igboho’s house got burnt, because of his agitation for the Yoruba nation’s freedom. The news is all over and our elected political leaders in Yoruba land claim they did not hear about it. Will there be any action to the Federal Government from them? I doubt if such will ever happen.

It is time for our political leaders to rise and save us from the failed nation called Nigeria. By my understanding, a nation is a stable community of people formed on the basis of a common language, territory, history, ethnicity, or common culture. None of these attributes exist between the Yorubas and the Fulanis in Nigeria.

I enjoin all Yoruba political leaders ( both past and present) to rise and fight for the masses that voted them to power. Dr. Gbenga Michael Adeyeye wrote from South Africa.