The Chinese and Fulani Only Need Patience With the Yoruba Over South-West Nigeria, By Babafemi A. Badejo

On December 6, after some debate on whether I should rest or not, I summoned the courage and strength to proceed to the Sadique Baba Abubakar Golf Club (SBAGC). This is at the Nigerian Airforce Base, at Shasha, a suburb of Lagos.

Wondering about the name Sadique Baba Abubakar? It belongs to the Air Marshall, who is the 20th chief of the Air Staff of the Nigerian Airforce.

One of the many impacts of COVID-19 was the establishment of the SBAGC sometimes in April, as the lockdown was biting hard and the Lagos State Government (LASG) had closed the Ikeja Golf Club. With the Air Force premises being outside of the control of LASG, it was possible to follow a reasonable anti-COVID-19 protocol that was not a one-size fits all of the LASG. I joined the SBAGC at the beginning of July.

My golfing is not as great as it should be. I have not gone lower than the handicap 28 I acquired in Liberia, when my friend, Major-General Muhammad Tahir Rtd (Pakistan), then the Deputy Force Commander at the UN Mission in Liberia, finally got me to learn how to play. I am happy when I play (what we call a one-ball), accompanied by Tunde, my caddie. The experience of walking for over two hours, plus chasing and hitting a small ball goes beyond exercise. It always offers me reflection time.

On December 6, Aderinwa was on my mind as I played. Aderinwa Badejo is the new addition to my family. He is my third grandchild. Since he was born outside Nigeria, he was given his name virtually on December 5. The Yoruba give names to their children on the eighth day of birth. Prior to that day, the child is referred to with “it”, as opposed to he or she. I have often wondered why this is the case. But I thought that high child mortality within the first week of birth in the olden days might have made families wait for the eighth day before conferring a name on him or her. I had thought this was a Yoruba cultural issue alone, until my son read the passage that the Anglican Venerable asked him to read.

Aderinwa’s father read the specified passage, which was Luke 1: 57-66. He was reading to us over Zoom, as the Venerable Anglican Reverend managed the worldwide congregation from his residence, having been confined by police instructions that we should stay off the roads of some specified Local Government Areas because of bye-election in our Senatorial District. About 20 family members and friends were in our Magodo, Lagos, living room, joining my wife and our last daughter, as we manipulated Zoom as host. I had upgraded my Zoom account on December 3 to accommodate family and friends from many countries like Nigeria, Cote D’Ivoire, Canada, Kenya, Madagascar, and the United States of America. Many family members and our friends in the Lagos area, including Aderinwa’s maternal grandfather, were restricted by the unfriendly police order that we later learnt was not even enforced. So, they could only watch the event and not partake in the post-naming merriments. The merriments had to be scaled down as we canceled, at the last minute, food orders and instead mobilised friends who could stay overnight to cook for a drastically reduced number of people. Why lockdown about a third of Lagos from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., for an election in which there were 1,168,790 registered voters, of which only about 104,405 voted? People were unnecessarily forced to stay way from their places of work. And for all that violation of the fundamental right of movement, only 11 per cent of the electorate felt happy enough to participate in the charade. Was this one of the “punishments of democracy” that we are constantly subjected to, instead of “dividends of democracy” that others around the world talk about? Or was this just inefficiency of the police to mount an operation of policing elections in only some sections of a state that is run on the basis of a one-party system, which is full of pretences to give impressions to the effect that people are really making choices?

In any case, Luke 1: 59 caught my attention, as my son read it: “When the baby was eight days old, all the relatives and friends came for the circumcision ceremony. They all assumed the baby’s name would be Zacharias, after his father”. The import of this passage from the Bible is that the eighth day is not unique to the Yoruba people. Did they borrow it from Christianity? Cannot be so. Islam came to Yorubaland centuries before the colonisation agenda of the British was accompanied by ideological control by the Anglican Church, which made the people continue to pray for a better life in the hereafter, as the British sucked them dry under the claim of having a religious responsibility to civilise the “dark continent”. It is not that Islam was or is free of its own ideological control. Or how does one explain the Fulani control over the extraordinarily more populous Hausa people that continues till date, the condonement of the enslavement of Africans? These are interesting questions.

These Yoruba diaspora no longer feels anything for the culture of the Yoruba beyond the food, fashion and some theatrical performances. In effect, the bond of culture is weakening, as it is being attacked from many sources. When I try to protest against the crass Western individualism that I see in my family, my wife’s pertinent question tends to be: If I wanted my children to be thinking Yoruba, why did I send them to America to study?


More important, however, is the fact that the Yoruba people of my generation and those following are fast losing the essence of being Yoruba: that is, the culture. Professor Banji Akintoye has been constantly pointing out that in the not too distant future, Yoruba language would become extinct, if serious efforts are not undertaken to modernise the language and pass it on. He is canvasing for funds to have some academics at the spiritual base of the Yoruba (Ile-Ife) to reverse this developing trend. However, other realities are in contention on the continued presence of Yoruba people in the South-West of Nigeria.

Aderinwa was born outside Nigeria. Interestingly, the medical doctor who delivered him is a Yoruba lady, who was assisted by two nurses of other nationalities from Southern Nigeria. These experts who were trained with public subsidies to different educational levels in Nigeria have professional fulfillment, with up-to-date equipment to practice, outside the country. In Nigeria, obsolete equipment is available since resources for updating equipment are normally stolen, as many acquiesce these days to lootocracy a.k.a looting of the national patrimony.

These diaspora Yoruba/Nigerians are jolly well expressing their freedom to migrate, explore anywhere, and settle down where they are more comfortable with the daily lived realities, while running away from the drudgery of living in Nigeria. I believe the North-West, North-East and some portions of North-Central Nigeria are under-represented in this diaspora settlement arrangements. It is some of the children of elite Northerners who spend time outside to read. Quite a good number of these elitist kids, when they choose Western education, benefit from the so-called federal character and enter universities in Nigeria with ease, as merit is sacrificed. So, they have less push to join diaspora Nigerians. Unlike other ethnicities/races around the world, the Yoruba/Southern Nigerian diaspora are not coming back to Nigeria, despite the nostalgia they continue to have for home. Many Yoruba compatriots, given the high value we attach to education, sacrificed all and sent children outside the country to study. They also imbibe the Western culture intoto and are more comfortable outside Nigeria. Their children do not speak the Yoruba language, since this is not selling at the international level, despite some miniscule interests in a few places like Brazil. At the death of the parents, some of these children sell all their inherited real estate in Nigeria and do not look back.

These Yoruba diaspora no longer feels anything for the culture of the Yoruba beyond the food, fashion and some theatrical performances. In effect, the bond of culture is weakening, as it is being attacked from many sources. When I try to protest against the crass Western individualism that I see in my family, my wife’s pertinent question tends to be: If I wanted my children to be thinking Yoruba, why did I send them to America to study?

The problem is more than this. The Venerable Reverend spoke about the importance of the naming ceremony to the Yoruba people. But he could not and did not perform a Yoruba naming ceremony. He performed an Anglican ceremony – the Church of birth of my wife and I, after all we were born into colonial Nigeria. Another time, I could expand on how a good number of Nigerian Churches are business enterprises that, at the same time, continue to deliver us to the West via ideological suasion. In growing up, many a time I witnessed the processes involved in naming a Yoruba child. It involved blessings to the new born that used specific food items: obi (cola nut), orogbo (bitter cola), oyin (honey), omi (water), epo (palm oil), iyo (salt), etc. to pray for the child, as the child is made to minimally taste the items for the first time. The child’s feet are made to touch the ground outside of the homestead hence the expression (ikomo jade), etc. We have lost all these to Christianity and Islam. The Christians say the “Blood of Jesus” has overridden all that the Yoruba used to pray and blessed a new child with. This development is recent, as my son and his older sisters were welcomed with all Yoruba compliments.

In a dialogue with a Chief Imam and a Muslim learned friend, I was told that earlier Muslim Imams were tolerant and accepted the Yoruba cultural practices to encourage easy transition into greater acceptance of Islam. But these Yoruba practices are no longer carried out today. In fact, Islam is becoming more assertive and performs the naming ceremony on the seventh day, even though it could also be done on the eighth day. Such tolerance on the part of Islam was also the approach of the Anglican Church, which was initially more tolerant, in comparison to the Catholic Church, among the Yoruba. The Anglicans did not force Yoruba men to get rid of their many wives and remain with only one before they could be proper Catholics, as Chinua Achebe informed us that they did with the Igbo people. Little wonder that the Yoruba are more Anglican than Catholic. Not being satisfied, the irrepressible Yoruba confidence led them to decide that if the British monarch can set up his own church and end ideological control by the Pope, they can set up theirs also and do away with the Church of England. Today, there are so many church movements for the collection of tithes at every corner. Factories that once produced goods have been bought by xhurches as people lost employment but continued to pray for work. Of course, they must pay tithe, even if it is stolen money or their last dime. They have been told they would not make heaven without paying tithes, which goes towards life more abundantly and more comfortable for the pastors here on earth.

If we are losing the essence of naming a child, how can we continue to claim that Yoruba names have meaning? In my graduate school days at the University of Californaia at Los Angeles (UCLA), Dalili, an African American, wanted the oldest Yoruba man around to provide a name for her grandchild. Professor Akiwowo would have none of that. How could one source a name for a child whose sex was unknown, he wondered (this was before the sex of a child could be known in the womb)? I tried to suggest that he could give the child a female and a male name, since a name must be given and recorded before leaving the hospital. Of course, the Professor declined the honour. Dalili ended up naming the child after a perfume she liked!

It seems clear that the leadership of the Yoruba people have an uphill task to contend with that is bigger than protecting the language. The ongoing generational exodus of Yoruba people to the diaspora and the resulting population share reduction in Nigeria from the exodus and birth rate, as well as the steady erosion of the Yoruba culture, are issues that need attention.


Looks like I lost focus of my title? Not really. The Fulani came from the Futa-Jallon area and used religion to supplant the Hausa Kings of yore in what has become Nigeria. And with indirect rule, the Fulani crowned one among themselves as Emir and adopted Hausa as language of the Court. They kept Fulfude, their own language to themselves. They have remained in control of the many times more populous Hausa till date. They succeeded in Ilorin, as the Yoruba authority system over the town was supplanted. In 1840, the Fulani became defeated by the Yoruba, as they tried to move and occupy the rest of Yorubaland. The Yoruba are convinced that the 1840 plan of the Fulani Emirate system is still afoot even today.

Furthermore, in a 2019 study, “Ethnic Disparities in Fertility and its Determinants in Nigeria”, Ayo Stephen Adebowale pointed out differentials in the fertility rates of the Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo. “The total fertility rate was 8.02, 4.91 and 4.43 among women in Hausa/Fulani, Igbo and Yoruba ethnic group respectively. The proportion of women with ≥5 children was highest among the Hausa/Fulani (40%), followed by Igbo (21.6%) and Yoruba (17.5%)”. What this means is that the Hausa/Fulani are replicating more than the Yoruba.

So, I am wondering if the Fulani can just be patient, as it seems to me that with time, once you continue to have the best Yoruba brains outside of Nigeria and the replication rate continues to dwindle comparatively, the Fulani elites would only have the Chinese to contend with over who owns what used to be Yorubaland. The Chinese imperative of needing more land to settle such a large population is driving them all over the world, including to buy up Yoruba farms and properties. After all, they have cash. The Fulani are also settling in forest areas in Yorubaland, as they are also buying rural lands.

The fate of the Yoruba seems to be the fate of Southerners in general. The Southerners took towards the West and are getting more and more sucked into a different culture, instead of building theirs to resist subjugation by any other race or ethnicity. But am I being emotional? Why should those who are happy with Western life and all it offers care about wanting to remain Yoruba? What is so special about being Yoruba?

The situation may not be as bleak as I am suggesting, if appropriate answers can be provided. The Yoruba are a problem-solving people who use more of the brain than brawn. Should they be swimming against the current? If they are happy that Wally Adeyemo was nominated as deputy treasury secretary in the United States, should they be worried about a Fulani aiming to be governor in Lagos State or an Igbo or Tiv having cabinet positions in any of the Yoruba states? Yorubaland is being developed by investments from other ethnicities. Should this be of concern? If it should be, how are they to handle the current willing buyer and willing seller arrangements? Do they set up funds that can consolidate properties in the hands of Yoruba people in the South-West? Can such efforts boost youth employment in Yorubaland? Will focus on land lift Yoruba people out of poverty if they are remaining producers of raw products that will not go far in the artificial intelligence age? Can the diaspora Yoruba help if they still have some affection of belonging to large families that make up communities and the Yoruba nation?

It seems clear that the leadership of the Yoruba people have an uphill task to contend with that is bigger than protecting the language. The ongoing generational exodus of Yoruba people to the diaspora and the resulting population share reduction in Nigeria from the exodus and birth rate, as well as the steady erosion of the Yoruba culture, are issues that need attention. Can the entirety of the Yoruba race be limited to Nigeria or other Yoruba dominated parts of the world alone? Certainly Not. But some thinking is much needed on the preservation and transmission of Yoruba culture beyond borders. Welcome to Aderinwa. May he join in finding answers to the Yoruba conundrum. Should he? Why should he be bothered about the emotional wish of a grandfather? If the language is going extinct at some point, and the general culture is facing onslaught from the West and the East, as well as from Christianity and Islam, why should Aderinwa and his generation objectively care?



https://opinion.premiumtimesng.com/2020/12/09/the-chinese-and-fulani-only-need-patience-with-the-yoruba-over-south-west-nigeria-by-babafemi-a-badejo/

Lemme read finish first.

Well actually the poster is 90% correct.
He couldn't have said it more.

This will be a long read

An interesting article by the author, indeed culture must be protected and preserved at all cost, it remains our main form of identity.

This one dey hallucinate with his long epistle

7 pages of newspaper I don taya abeg

This your long project writing, who will approve it.

Someone should summarise it for us.

This one tire me ooo
..... Imagined this happened
.... We will be a myth
As in existing inexistence

This is a real Yoruba man who can see into the future. The best bet for Yorubas is Oduduwa republic or a country away from the sahelian vampires. I'll love to see that happen.

Hmm,na small small red indians take lose their homeland for america.

A very good example is Turkey, Turkey was once 100% Christian country, but little by little, slowly but steadily, Islam took over!!

Now Islam is the biggest religion in the turkey with over 80% of the population being muslims

South-west is sleeping on a timed bomb waiting to explode

@OP South West is a fortress that can't fall to external aggressors.. Ojukwu's rag tag biafra soldiers can testify to it with the events at Ore when they were marching f00lishly into SW to harness it.

It's the Chinese I pity, the average Yoruba man is very intelligent unlike the Zambians who sell themselves into slavery. I know they won't have issues enslaving some people who live and breathe China.

Yoruba should wake up ooo,

Raydos:
A very good example is Turkey, Turkey was once 100% Christian country, but little by little, slowly but steadily, Islam took over!!

Now Islam is the biggest religion in the turkey with over 80% of the population being muslims

South-west is sleeping on a timed bomb waiting to explode

All the ones that weren't xtian countries before nko

flokii:
@OP South West is a fortress that can't fall to external aggressors.. Ojukwu's rag tag biafra soldiers can testify to it with the events at Ore when they were marching f00lishly into SW to harness it.

It's the Chinese I pity, the average Yoruba man is very intelligent unlike the Zambians who sell themselves into slavery. I know they won't have issues enslaving some people who live and breathe China.

Premium chest beating

It was posted by baby factory people, nothing good from graves full of rotten bodies, just bunch of dogs barking at the moon, I don't bother read anything posted by embittered people about South West.

flokii:
@OP South West is a fortress that can't fall to external aggressors.. Ojukwu's rag tag biafra soldiers can testify to it with the events at Ore when they were marching f00lishly into SW to harness it.

It's the Chinese I pity, the average Yoruba man is very intelligent unlike the Zambians who sell themselves into slavery. I know they won't have issues enslaving some people who live and breathe China.

Dudu just shut up pls,
This write up is too intelligent for you,
Don't distract smart people that want to think deep

Unfortunately sir, your brothers are too dumb to get your message.

British Colonialism saved the Yoruba from being conquered and enslaved by the sokoto caliphate.

flokii:
@OP South West is a fortress that can't fall to external aggressors.. Ojukwu's rag tag biafra soldiers can testify to it with the events at Ore when they were marching f00lishly into SW to harness it.

It's the Chinese I pity, the average Yoruba man is very intelligent unlike the Zambians who sell themselves into slavery. I know they won't have issues enslaving some people who live and breathe China.

Oduduwa people... smart?
E go shock you. When I went to Lagos, I was seeing learning institutions for Chinese, Chinese cultural centers, China towns, etc. n I wonder why it is only China.

BOOZELEE:


Premium chest beating

go and read about ore and how ojukwu ran away to ivory coast

Raydos:
A very good example is Turkey, Turkey was once 100% Christian country, but little by little, slowly but steadily, Islam took over!!

Now Islam is the biggest religion in the turkey with over 80% of the population being muslims

South-west is sleeping on a timed bomb waiting to explode

99.8% of Turkish population are Muslims likewise there are more Muslims among Yorubas than Christians. Islam was in Yoruba Land long before whites brought Christianity to Nigeria.

Mods need to put a word limit Abeg.

Summarize your stuff biko

Coronabirus:
99.8% of Turkish population are Muslims likewise there are more Muslims among Yorubas than Christians. Islam was in Yoruba Land long before whites brought Christianity to Nigeria.

Nope Yoruba remains a majority Christian group !

StaffofOrayan:


Dudu just shut up pls,
This write up is too intelligent for you,
Don't distract smart people that want to think deep

You smart? I doubt that.
You're just another paranoid human thinking on the surface.

twutin1:


Oduduwa people... smart?
E go shock you. When I went to Lagos, I was seeing learning institutions for Chinese, Chinese cultural centers, China towns, etc. n I wonder why it is only China.

Chinese people are everywhere because your government allowed it. That doesn't mean Yorubas are asleep to allow some foreigners lord over them. Never going to happen.
Afenifere made it clear the other day that not an inch of Yorubaland will fall to Fg creditors (China).

Unless you're an Easterner who always think less of Yorubas. There are so many of them on this thread already.

Amalgamation of Northern Nigeria and Southern Nigeria was not in the interest of Yorubaland.
No matter how long it takes we will still go back to that point in history.

Yorubas will prosper with a hard working, 21 century thinking, detribalized president.

For now I will advise Yoruba to copy the Igbo business model like importation of cheaper goods from China, manufacturing of cheap replicas, importation and supply of drugs from India, pooling of funds, control of logistics, business fraternity, land acquisition as a store of capital, etc.

write about southeast too let me see how intelligent you're



Yoruba this, Yoruba that bla bla. Yoruba matter go soon murdered you people soon


southern unity today, Yoruba Muslim bla bla tomorrow, oduduwa is best for Yoruba. who ask these bunch of nitwit to tell you what's best for Yorubas?


Yoruba don't need any reminder what's best for them, achieved ya long Years Biafra first and save others from your failed history