Tofax:
Late Senator Abraham Adesanya told us that Yoruba has no plural. We are not Yorubas, but simply Yoruba. That said, it’s time once more for Yoruba to rethink; that was probably why the renowned dramatist and singer, Chief Hubert Ogunde, waxed the hit song, Yoruba Ronu (Yoruba Think), when he realised the need for the ethnic group to wake up, and reposition during the dark days of the political turmoil in the old Western Region.

Youruba have a big problem, indeed, multiple problems, from poor leadership to loss of direction, cultural pollution, laziness, cheap compromise and sheer stupidity. Under the late first Premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the Yoruba were pace-setters. Other ethnic groups have caught up with us and even overtaken us. Yoruba Ronu (Yoruba Think).

We used to be the artisans Nigeria relied on to build houses, run public infrastructures, do all the maintenance chores, etcetera. Our people were the tradesmen who ran mechanic workshops, fixed vehicle electricals, batteries and carried out all repairs you could think of, whether home appliances, factory machines, name it, Yoruba were the acclaimed technicians who kept our nation running.

Those who went to school excelled. We did well in all branches of education and pioneered many fields of study in medicine, architecture, law and the humanities. We are home to two prestigious universities in Lagos and Ile-Ife; our academics were renowned for their brilliance and integrity. The South West enjoyed high literacy level because of Awolowo’s free education programme in his days as Premier and during the UPN governments of the LOOBO States in 1979.

We used to be leaders in industry; money and capital markets investment were our natural turf, while Ndigbo were known for their dominance in commerce. Over time, the algorithm began to change. Yoruba began to yield ground to other ethnic groups. Even the media, where Yoruba were known for their natural competence and managerial skills, now appears to be in the hands of Niger Delta businessmen.

Of course, members of the rival ethnic groups should not be expected to fold their arms and watch development dominated by the Yoruba. If our people lose their competitive edge and the advantage of being the gateway to the world because of the ports, they have no one to blame but themselves.

People complain that Ndigbo are buying up all the lands all over Nigeria, including the South West. But these lands are being bought, not seized. So, no one should complain if our South East neighbours have become more enterprising than the other ethnic groups. Ndigbo should not be punished or hated for their business acumen and bold business vision. We should copy them instead!

In the South West, our youth have become lazy. Take a casual walk around the streets in the morning hours, you’d see them in groups drinking in beer joints. Some cluster around bus stations. Many work as touts or Area Boys who extort money from Marwa and okada riders. When traders go to buy goods in markets, Yoruba Area Boys waylay them and demand “land dues.” Some of our smart, jobless youth who are tech savvy, use those skills to perpetrate cyber fraud (Yahoo-Yahoo). There’re also various types of thugs like the defeated One Million Boys, or Awawa Boys; cult groups are very active all over the place when elections are over, because their political patrons have no use for them once in power.

Yoruba Ronu (Yoruba Think), Ogunde’s heart cry is still resonating because our ethnic group is taking the back seat in all aspects of life in Nigeria. When the landowners of the South West finish selling all their lands to Ndigbo, they’d become tenants in their own territory. All our forests are being converted into housing estates, even as the need for agricultural production becomes more obvious. Yoruba youth don’t farm again because they’re lazy.

All the jobs that require physical strength are taboo for Yourba youth. That’s why all the cart pushers who sell agricultural products, water and other products are from the North. Arewa youth supply our foodstuffs, beef and several other products, while Ndigbo fill the gaps in domestic appliances, consumer electronics and other imports. How many Yoruba sell domestic cooking gas?

In sports, especially soccer, Igbo youth make up 80 per cent of our teams. Same is true of other sports. Yoruba wake up! Our leaders must repent of their greed and wickedness and bring true development to the region. Yoruba need great leaders at all levels to give direction to their people. We need to rediscover our competitive edge and contribute positively to Nigeria’s growth, with our political sagacity and natural diplomacy.

Nobody is asking the Yoruba to dominate other tribes. No! What one is saying is that we should reinvent ourselves and offer genuine leadership to our people, instead of using our youth as political thugs during election seasons and dumping them on the streets to fend for themselves. That’s not nice! If only Yoruba could think!

Yoruba should rediscover their Omoluabi nature, that’s what this piece is all about.

Weekend Spice: When survival is threatened; integrity is easily compromised.

•Ayodeji, author, pastor and life coach, can be reached on 09059243004

https://www.sunnewsonline.com/the-problem-with-my-yoruba-brethren/

walefresh3:
Bro talkk more about south east and leave south west alone.

Tofax:
Late Senator Abraham Adesanya told us that Yoruba has no plural. We are not Yorubas, but simply Yoruba. That said, it’s time once more for Yoruba to rethink; that was probably why the renowned dramatist and singer, Chief Hubert Ogunde, waxed the hit song, Yoruba Ronu (Yoruba Think), when he realised the need for the ethnic group to wake up, and reposition during the dark days of the political turmoil in the old Western Region.

Youruba have a big problem, indeed, multiple problems, from poor leadership to loss of direction, cultural pollution, laziness, cheap compromise and sheer stupidity. Under the late first Premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the Yoruba were pace-setters. Other ethnic groups have caught up with us and even overtaken us. Yoruba Ronu (Yoruba Think).

We used to be the artisans Nigeria relied on to build houses, run public infrastructures, do all the maintenance chores, etcetera. Our people were the tradesmen who ran mechanic workshops, fixed vehicle electricals, batteries and carried out all repairs you could think of, whether home appliances, factory machines, name it, Yoruba were the acclaimed technicians who kept our nation running.

Those who went to school excelled. We did well in all branches of education and pioneered many fields of study in medicine, architecture, law and the humanities. We are home to two prestigious universities in Lagos and Ile-Ife; our academics were renowned for their brilliance and integrity. The South West enjoyed high literacy level because of Awolowo’s free education programme in his days as Premier and during the UPN governments of the LOOBO States in 1979.

We used to be leaders in industry; money and capital markets investment were our natural turf, while Ndigbo were known for their dominance in commerce. Over time, the algorithm began to change. Yoruba began to yield ground to other ethnic groups. Even the media, where Yoruba were known for their natural competence and managerial skills, now appears to be in the hands of Niger Delta businessmen.

Of course, members of the rival ethnic groups should not be expected to fold their arms and watch development dominated by the Yoruba. If our people lose their competitive edge and the advantage of being the gateway to the world because of the ports, they have no one to blame but themselves.

People complain that Ndigbo are buying up all the lands all over Nigeria, including the South West. But these lands are being bought, not seized. So, no one should complain if our South East neighbours have become more enterprising than the other ethnic groups. Ndigbo should not be punished or hated for their business acumen and bold business vision. We should copy them instead!

In the South West, our youth have become lazy. Take a casual walk around the streets in the morning hours, you’d see them in groups drinking in beer joints. Some cluster around bus stations. Many work as touts or Area Boys who extort money from Marwa and okada riders. When traders go to buy goods in markets, Yoruba Area Boys waylay them and demand “land dues.” Some of our smart, jobless youth who are tech savvy, use those skills to perpetrate cyber fraud (Yahoo-Yahoo). There’re also various types of thugs like the defeated One Million Boys, or Awawa Boys; cult groups are very active all over the place when elections are over, because their political patrons have no use for them once in power.

Yoruba Ronu (Yoruba Think), Ogunde’s heart cry is still resonating because our ethnic group is taking the back seat in all aspects of life in Nigeria. When the landowners of the South West finish selling all their lands to Ndigbo, they’d become tenants in their own territory. All our forests are being converted into housing estates, even as the need for agricultural production becomes more obvious. Yoruba youth don’t farm again because they’re lazy.

All the jobs that require physical strength are taboo for Yourba youth. That’s why all the cart pushers who sell agricultural products, water and other products are from the North. Arewa youth supply our foodstuffs, beef and several other products, while Ndigbo fill the gaps in domestic appliances, consumer electronics and other imports. How many Yoruba sell domestic cooking gas?

In sports, especially soccer, Igbo youth make up 80 per cent of our teams. Same is true of other sports. Yoruba wake up! Our leaders must repent of their greed and wickedness and bring true development to the region. Yoruba need great leaders at all levels to give direction to their people. We need to rediscover our competitive edge and contribute positively to Nigeria’s growth, with our political sagacity and natural diplomacy.

Nobody is asking the Yoruba to dominate other tribes. No! What one is saying is that we should reinvent ourselves and offer genuine leadership to our people, instead of using our youth as political thugs during election seasons and dumping them on the streets to fend for themselves. That’s not nice! If only Yoruba could think!

Yoruba should rediscover their Omoluabi nature, that’s what this piece is all about.

Weekend Spice: When survival is threatened; integrity is easily compromised.

•Ayodeji, author, pastor and life coach, can be reached on 09059243004

https://www.sunnewsonline.com/the-problem-with-my-yoruba-brethren/

Asgard73:


Yoruba man

Why should he talk about southeast? See how their brain works ba?
There fears .. imagine statement from an adult and reasonable Yoruba man.

The hate reality Walai .. and live propaganda .

They will comfortable call out other tribes but will curse abuse .. if you call them out..

Ndi Sophisticators

walefresh3:
Bro talkk more about south east and leave south west alone.

Even today, most Yoruba think that Awolowo founded the Universities of Ibadan & Lagos. No one has reminded them that it took Azikiwe's pressures for a university for Nigeria, in his meeting with Arthur Richards in 1946, that led to the constitution of the Eliot commision & subsequently the founding of the University College-Ibadan.This fact is even clearly conveyed in Michael Crowder's eponymous book-The Story of Nigeria.

UNILAG was an NCNC project, shepherded by Aja Nwachukwu as the then minister for education.Even the great UNILAG in her 50th anniversary failed to mention Prof Eni Njoku as the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the university, a man that layed the solid foundation of what made Unilag what it is today.

walefresh3:
Bro talkk more about south east and leave south west alone.