It is written:

“Of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command” 1 Chronicles 12:32

“understanding of the times”.

Of David’s faithfulness to God and his Nation.

Despite Saul’s conscious torpedo of Israel’s Sovereignty through his iniquities.

In these times.

COVID-19, the manifestation of limitations of human assumptions and the necessity to return to the reality of our existence, established by God.

By which we know that, as Africans, we must “know what we ought to do”.

Despite inhabiting lands full of milk and honey; with a history of major contributions to human development, either on our own or as victims of vicious exploitation.

Experiencing unprecedented material and cultural decimation.

Our existence constrained by this historical experience.

Global economic powerhouses “understanding of the times”; mandating a re-evaluation of their realities; adopting measures once promoted as anathema to their political economy.

Making nonsense of “globalization”; that “borderless” capitalism coming of age in the early part of the 20th century.

Attempting to sideline the imperial context for global dominance, in operation since the days of the rise and fall of the Empires, integral to its existence.

The last to fall being the French and British Empires; broken down into their Ethno-National Nation States.

The various Post-Colonial States in Africa and Arabia as trophies.

Regulated by a global trade mechanism.

Expected to be moderated by the Trans Pacific Partnership; but ending up with a glaring contest and new context for global dominance.

COVID-19 providing a fast track for the fight-back, and reinforcement of the Nation-State.

Continuing the quest for global dominance.

And now calling into question the relevance of the Sovereignty of the Post-Colonial State manifesting as either its sustenance or its negation, the liberation of the Peoples from its suffocating influence.

Driving you to postulate certain “measures to reboot the economy” of the Nigerian Post-Colonial State as a response to the “ravages of global economy”.

Expecting the leadership of the Post-Colonial State to take certain measures in response to COVID-19.

Not addressing the nature of the Post-Colonial State as the responsible agent in the entire problematic.

And creating a dichotomy between present needs and future necessities.

Despite today’s needs being predicated on the expectations of tomorrow.

For, the future is in the present.

You occupy a pride of place within the Yoruba Political firmament alongside the Intelligentsia, the Clergy and “traditional” Institutions as the four “pillars” on which Yoruba Autonomy/Self-Determination rest.

By which you must engage the Nigerian Post-Colonial State.

But saying “This situation presents a historic chance to establish a more beneficial social contract between the government and the governed. If we so utilize this moment, it will be recorded as a pivotal one in our national history. If we allow this moment to slip, history will not be obliged to treat us with great mercy.”

Without asking what history is being made such that it will or will not be obliged to treat us with great mercy.

For, “mercy” is not for history to bestow. Only God can do so.

“Man” may aspire to exercising “mercy”.

But “Man” can only make history; “man’s” mercy is therefore conditioned by the circumstances of making that history.

By which we know that expectations of a “historic chance to establish a more beneficial social contract between the government and the governed” [/i]within the context of the Nigerian Post-Colonial State is a denial of the reality of such a State being established without a “social contract”.

With ample historical and even contemporary evidence of its a-historical, anti-social and a-cultural nature; its Constituents having been denied a say in its coming into being, making a social contract impossible.

A “historic chance” does not come about by reinforcing all of its current existential realities, with NASS remaining what it is; the political economy stiflingly centralized with humongous emoluments for its bureaucracy; Hegemonic contests for power fundamental to its continuity; the security architecture operating as a conquering force reminiscent of its colonial origins; denial of Autonomies/Self-determination for Nations caught up within the Post-Colonial State.

And many more.

A “historic chance” must aim at transforming what is, to what it ought to be.

An opportunity to engage in the negation of all the philosophical assumptions of a present order, the rejection of its underlying political, economic, social and cultural assumptions, and its transformation into their opposites.

It does not lie in extending its life by some political maneuvers, as in “saving to conserve foreign exchange” as if such a conservation by itself is a “historic chance”.

A “historic chance” must therefore translate into a fundamental change of the Political Economy, the transformation of the political and economic configuration of the Post-colonial State.

A “historic chance” must not assume that “the global economy has turned against us” but must acknowledge that the Prebendal Nigerian Post-Colonial State does not have an existence incongruent with that global order.

From which flows the necessity for the manifestation of the Peoples as drivers of their own history and the Nigerian Post-Colonial State as the obstacle that must be overcome.

The notion that “[i]A government deficit serves to enrich the private sector. A deficit means the government spends more than it takes in. That extra amount goes to the private sector. As such, national government deficits boost private sector growth and activity.”

Is not an iron law of economics.

As now shown by COVID-19.

“Private sector growth and activity” having been rendered useless.

Only bailed out by massive government spending.

By which we know that the Government or State Apparatus has the inherent ability to serve the people in general and not only the private sector.

The essential characteristic of the Welfare State.

And not a stranger to Yoruba Existentialism.

Being the foundation for “freedom for all, life more abundant”.

Rather than repeating all the economic postulations that has led the Nigerian Post- Colonial state to this sorry pass.

Pursuit of an alternative economic paradigm anchored on a philosophy of neutralizing the continuous development of underdevelopment of the Peoples becomes imperative.

“Import suppression” or “export-oriented” being normal features of an economy; the foundation of trade; the response to the ebbs and flows of economic competition or necessities.

Cannot therefore become the foundation of a new economy.

Derived from and defined by the combined and even development of human and material resources of which a template was created with the establishment of Oodua Investments.

Which did not occur by happenstance.

But at the instance of a direct intervention by “economic patriots” of the Western Region led by Mr. C.S.O. Akande, who saw the necessity for retaining such an economic model.

A follow through from the redefinition of the role of Banks in National Development via the National Bank.

Which Chief S.L Akintola, as the Premier, had to defend when the Central Government attempted to destroy it.

And this, despite his opposition to the Welfare State.

Meaning, the Post-Colonial State ruling a Multi-National, Multi-Cultural society, and tending towards a Unitarist Structure (at that time) or having become fully manifested, as it is now, will always have its own prerogatives in complete opposition to the aspirations of the Peoples.

Therefore, as the current Regime is rolling out its palliatives, its trajectory is in its self-preservation and not necessarily aimed towards the addressing the liberation of the Peoples from permanent Underdevelopment.

Reversing this scenario must mean enabling the Nations within to embark on their journey to Self-determination, the only route to exhibiting their abilities to combat any future hazard.

Because, by “understanding of the times, we know what we ought to do”.

By which we know that the recent outrage committed by sundry criminals in Lagos and Ogun states would probably have been nipped in the bud by “Amotekun”.

But for its being hamstrung by the Nigerian Post-Colonial State.

The price the Yoruba Nation always pay for our assumptions on the possibilities of the Nigerian Post-Colonial State.

“Rebooting the economy” must therefore start with rebooting the architecture of State, recognizing the Constituents as the Nations within Nigeria and ensuring their active participation in any effort at rebooting.

A[b] Referendum[/b], within the Nations, being the only way, this could be done.

And Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, you have your work cut out for you.

Ensuring the activation of the Referendum Process in Yorubaland; the Bill having been submitted to the various Houses of Assembly.

Provision made for negotiations with other Nations within Nigeria.

Resulting in the Re-Formation and Re-Constitution of Nigeria.

The only way to reboot the economy.

It is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.” 1 Corinthians 2: 9-10

The hope for the Yoruba Nation in all its fullness.

That which I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared to you.

Wale Odeku

Nawa o, wetin dis one cum post now.

M

Odeku
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