MATRIARCH of the Awolowo dynasty, Yeye Oodua, Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo, on Thursday, in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State, warned that the Yoruba must not play a second fiddle in the next political dispensation.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, Olubuse II and other prominent persons from Yorubaland, who met under the auspices of the Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF), also cautioned the Yoruba against becoming slaves in their own country.
Chief (Mrs) Awolowo, who set the agenda at the four-hour meeting, held at the residence of the Awolowos, said the wake-up call was necessary because of the sidelining of the Yoruba in the present dispensation.
She said in fashioning a way forward this time, the people must take cognisance of their enviable contributions that culminated in the present leadership in the country which had not been acknowledged by the authorities.
She warned the people against compromising the collective interest of the race but to learnt from history in charting a new direction, preparatory to the next dispensation.
Recalling how the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo made enormous sacrifices, including his readiness to be the second in command under an alliance between the defunct National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC) and the Action Group [AG] in the First Republic, she said the lack of compromise from the other camp led to the collapse of the arrangement.
According to her, most of the current national challenges are direct consequences of the unsuccessful alliance.
Using the evergreen album of late artiste, Hurbert Ogunde, entitled Yoruba Ronu to stress the message, Chief (Mrs) Awolowo called for a sober reflection from the people and urged them to always speak with one voice, adding “We should know where we are coming from and where we are going.”
Emphasising that there was nothing wrong in political parties merging, the matriarch, however, warned the people to learn from history and avoid a situation that could create further division among the race.
Similarly, Oba Sijuade, in his goodwill message read by the Deputy Chairman of the Forum, Reverend Emmanuel Bolanle Gbonigi, underscored the need for sustained unity in Yorubaland and strongly warned against compromise by the political class.
He expressed confidence that the Yoruba had always remained on top in the scheme of things as well as maintaining their commanding heights in the land.
On his part, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, said YUF was borne out of the pursuit of reconciliation in Yorubaland and cautioned “that disunity would never do the people any good.”
He said everybody mattered in the current movement to reposition the Yoruba, adding that “nobody would reckon with us if we are not united.”
Senator Bode Olajumoke harped on the need for discipline and spartan life style which he said, were part of the sterling qualities of Chief Awolowo, just as he called for the stepping up of efforts to bring all Yoruba in academic and professional groups on board the current initiative.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the YUF noted that it was particularly disturbed by the recent appointments made by the Presidency, which had further aggravated the marginalisation, as no Yoruba person was considered worthy of appointments.
The meeting, therefore, urged the president to take urgent steps to reverse the trend and do justice to the Yoruba people of the South-West.
While acknowledging and expressing appreciation for the visits of the South/South leaders and the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to Yoruba leaders in Ikenne, the YUF stated that it was poised to encourage such interactions among the leadership of the various ethnic groups in Nigeria to promote understanding and strengthen the unity of the country.
In addition, the forum affirmed support for the formation of the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly (SNPA) and endorsed the efforts of southern leaders to consolidate the organisation, while expressing its preparedness to host the next conference in Ibadan in May this year.
The forum also paid very special compliments to the Chief (Mrs) Awolowo, the founder and leader of the YUF, for her active support and participation at the meetings of the YUF, as well as her thought-provoking speech at the meeting, while praying that God would continue to grant her longevity of life.
In attendance at the meeting were former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae; former Minister of Mines and Steel, Honourable Sarafa Ishola; Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor Akerele, Senator Tony Adefuye and Princess Bisi Sangodoyin.
Others were Senator Femi Okunrounmu, Senator Omololu Meroyi, Dr Kunle Olajide, Senator Bode Olajumoke, Honourable Olaoluwatomi Soboyejo, Honourable Babasegun Saduku and Prince Wole Otenaike.
Also at the meeting were the chairman, board of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Engineer Jide Adeniji; members of the Yoruba community from Jos, Plateau State; the representative of the Awoist movement in New York, United States, Bari Salau; Mr Al
abi Olusegun Obasanjo; Chief (Mrs) Abimbola Lawal; president, National Association of Yoruba Students, Ayo Gbologe; Barrister Muri Agboola, Alhaja Yetunde Aderibigbe, among others.
http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/component/k2/item/5810-2015-yoruba-must-not-play-second-fiddle-hid

2015 is really close.. Leaders of SS in SW for a Yoruba forum? Why do Ijaw people like to call anything Ijaw oriented south south as if it's a general consensus in SS?


2015 is close and some southerners now realize that they need Yorubas and we are no longer "parasites" now we are marginalized? hahahaha

Mama should go and sit and down somewhere jo. Go and talk that nonsense to your pdp goons. Mama oni je ku je

Nonsense.

seanet01: Mama should go and sit and down somewhere jo. Go and talk that nonsense to your pdp goons. Mama oni je ku je

show her some sign of respect bro.
@Topic, We YORUBAS must vote wisely.

is 'mama' jealous the average Yoruba man is now stuck deep into Tinubu's azz like they did awolowo

I know we respect the elderly to a fault in Nigeria but some of these old folks should learn humility also and refrain from talking in ways that heat up the polity and make the work of the younger folks, who are actually involved, more difficult. Doing opposite is sheer arrogance. I don't know why some prominent Nigerian elders are now keen to speak and act in ways that will erode the respect accorded them.

Gbawe: I know we respect the elderly to a fault in Nigeria but some of these old folks should learn humility also and refrain from talking in ways that heat up the polity and make the work of the younger folks, who are actually involved, more difficult. Doing opposite is sheer arrogance. I don't know why some prominent Nigerian elders are now keen to speak and act in ways that will erode the respect accorded them.

don't you have respect for your elders? its HID Awolowo, the wife of Awolowo for hell sake. Why will you erode the respect you have for her because ACN hired you as their propaganda merchinery on nairaland.

that news from tribune....
And we all know were its coming from...
The news is as dumb as freeGlobe!

Those who have lost out at home are trying to whip up sentiments in order to win concessions at the center.

Somebody pls explain the meaning of second fiddle to me ooo cox if I vex if I vex if I vex if I vex dis mama go beg me o. Me. Na d turn of my community to rule Nigeria if u tink odawise go drink sugarless garri

I will advice Mama to please not to get involved in politics and put her family in a mud.

You have aged gracefully please I want you to die with your respect intact.

Leave agbero politic to useless old men like Edwin Clark that don't know their age is gone

FreeGlobe:
don't you have respect for your elders? its HID Awolowo, the wife of Awolowo for hell sake. Why will you erode the respect you have for her because ACN hired you as their propaganda merchinery on nairaland.

being the late sage's wife doesnt make her immune from criticism and rebuke. Yorubas dont nurse the 'NA OUR SON' mentality

take dat: Those who have lost out at home are trying to whip up sentiments in other to win concessions at the center.

Correct. Check all other African nations making progress. Issues are national. Here we continue to squabble over ethnic spoils. Those who should know better prefer incendiary talk that only heats up the polity.

lakhadimar: being the late sage's wife doesnt make her immune from criticism and rebuke. Yorubas dont nurse the 'NA OUR SON' mentality

Please ignore that fool. He quoted me yet I ignored him because I know the wretched bigot does not come here in any sincerity he is the sort, on another thread, who will deride and taunt the name of Awolowo yet he pretends here. Abeg learn to recognise these sort and pay them no mind lest they are encouraged to remain where they should not be because of the hatred for others they cannot run away from.

sorry to say.mama has lost it for a very long time.if awolowo is alive he will nevercome close to the peeps mama fraternize with openly.it will. make sense for her to just quit voicing her needlessly opinions.

superior1: Mama is just calling for caution and we have heard her however, we do not want any political appointment from Jonathan, so that history will not judge us as being partakers of the madness he is calling governance.

lol,
So what do you call the various Yoruba members of his cabinet?

HAH: I will advice Mama to please not to get involved in politics and put her family in a mud.

You have aged gracefully please I want you to die with your respect intact.

Leave agbero politic to useless old men like Edwin Clark that don't know their age is gone

Correct. She must refrain from losing the respect folks have for her in the twilight of her years speaking rashly on things she does not understand or has not taken time to inspect properly. With this current utterance, what exactly is she suggesting that can be accommodated within the reality of the direction Nigeria needs to head in?

lakhadimar: being the late sage's wife doesnt make her immune from criticism and rebuke. Yorubas dont nurse the 'NA OUR SON' mentality

You have chosen to be a dissident. Is Awolowo not 'your son and leader'? If you love him you should also love and respect his wife. You should treat her the way you treated her husband.

Gbawe:


Correct. She must refrain from losing the respect folks have for her in the twilight of her years speaking rashly on things she does not understand or has not taken time to inspect properly. With this current utterance, what exactly is she suggesting that can be accommodated within the reality of the direction Nigeria needs to head in?

what is your point exactly? when will you comment based on your thoughts and not your stomach. when will you put your brain to good use. You want to disagree with 'mama' because she doesn't agree with your paymasters.

FreeGlobe:
You have chosen to be a dissident. Is Awolowo not 'your son and leader'? If you love him you should also love and respect his wife. You should treat her the way you treated her husband.

hello fool,we are civilized folks here .we scold whoever erred,that why we critised our own like obasanjo and other failure unlike our son mentality of you nitwit.it will make sense for you to focus on the family problem tearing down the household of your hero.and leave us to scold mama for this unwarranted utterances of hers.

seanet01: Mama should go and sit and down somewhere jo. Go and talk that nonsense to your pdp goons. Mama oni je ku je

I tell you

I truly fail to see why posters are criticizing HID. What exactly is wrong with what she and others said at this convention? I urge those who call her opinion nonsense, to explain to me why and how they reached that conclusion, and I'd also appreciate an explanation of why some people think her utterances in this case are heating up polity.

If you people don't help me out with reasonable explanations, I will start looking for the Ojuyobo factor in your decision making processes.

eggheaders:


hello fool,we are civilized folks here .we scold whoever erred,that why we critised our own like obasanjo and other failure unlike our son mentality of you nitwit.it will make sense for you to focus on the family problem tearing down the household of your hero.and leave us to scold mama for this unwarranted utterances of hers.

you bloody hypocrite. How many times have you scolded Tinubu for looting the SW ACN states and turning them into his empire. go kill yourself fool.

ndu_chucks: I truly fail to see why posters are criticizing HID. What exactly is wrong with what she and others said at this convention? I urge those who call her opinion nonsense, to explain to me why and how they reached that conclusion, and I'd also appreciate an explanation of why some people think her utterances in this case are heating up polity.

If you people don't help me out with reasonable explanations, I will start looking for the Ojuyobo factor in your decision making processes.

and who are you that people will have to explain themselves to you?

Akanbi_edu:

and who are you that people will have to explain themselves to you?

Ndu Chucks is a comical character. His closing statement, concerning Tinubu, is funny. I find it extremely amusing that it is always those not from the SW who insist, most vehemently, the people in the region must hate and reject Tinubu.

Who sat in their house all day receiving visitors, based on the famous name they are associated with by marriage, while the SW was taken over by criminal PDP elements?

Who used his time, money and effort to reverse the PDP criminalisation of the SW? We both know the names involved with the two scenarios mentioned. Yorubas are not fools beholden blindly to individuals, ethnicity and reputation. We look at actions and intentions. To the end we know how to accommodate HID's honorary role and pragmatically place it behind Tinubu's real role that is very much needed for the SW to keep on the path of progress she has embarked on.

All i heard was "Yoruba this", Yoruba that". I'm a yoruba guy but it sounds kinda tribalist and self centered.

The further you can see beyond the needs of your tribe,country,race....the more sucessful you will be in life.

FreeGlobe:
you bloody hypocrite. How many times have you scolded Tinubu for looting the SW ACN states and turning them into his empire. go kill yourself fool.

hey dumbass.please send us any credible report to back tinubu corrupt acts.yorubas has been has scolding him like forever but fool like you don't give a hoot.Ganiy that sued him to court was igbo I guess.when he was at loggerhead with fash.was it igbo that called him to his sense.fool like you are better sacrificed to the gods than allowed to be living among humans.

eggheaders:

hey dumbass.please send us any credible report to back tinubu corrupt acts.yorubas has been has scolding him like forever but fool like you don't give a hoot.Ganiy that sued him to court was igbo I guess.when he was at loggerhead with fash.was it igbo that called him to his sense.fool like you are better sacrificed to the gods than allowed to be living among humans.

what a retaaaard like you. So its only Gani that has the right to scold him? You want credibile report to back theifnubus corrupt act? I want you to also give me a credible report that says your brain is functional. You should be living amongst you but only in psychiatric homes.

Hausa will use and dump the Yorubas.

Ask the middle-belt. It's just a pity that the YORUBAS ARE LED BY A SELFISH CORRUPT CROOK.
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