YORUBA: THE ETHNIC GROUP THAT REJECTED THEIR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

We have heard so much about ethnic strife and loyalty in Africa and Europe based on tribe. We saw it in Yugoslavia, Myanmar etc. and lately in Ukraine. The only Ethnic group in most parts of our ethnic world that has ever rejected their own son and kin as the Presidential candidate while voting for others, are the Yoruba of West Africa. Yet, it is not yet Uhuru since some Africans have become selfish as cash mules that care less about their people.

Unexpectedly, repressed tribal politics has also raised its ugly head in the United States of America. Well, it has always been there, the last United States Presidential Election just boiled to the surface what has been brewing for a long time since the end of their Civil War. It is doubtful if they ever recovered from the vestiges of slavery. But they have taken strides to reach the goal of an equitable society.

Africans and scholars in world universities always use the Yoruba as case study for their civilization, tolerance and accommodation. Nigerians also hold them up to their values and egalitarian system whenever they stray out of line. There may be debate of the falling standard in a country that realized Oil Income windfall since the Arab Oil Embargo of 1972. Unfortunately, Nigeria has replaced Asian countries as the face of abject poverty.


https://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/326742/yoruba-the-ethnic-group-that-rejected-their-presidential-ca.html

Those are the Yorubas bastard

Well. That is changing now.

This is a long and interesting article. OP only posted a few of the whole article. Full article below👇

We have heard so much about ethnic strife and loyalty in Africa and Europe based on tribe. We saw it in Yugoslavia, Myanmar etc. and lately in Ukraine. The only Ethnic group in most parts of our ethnic world that has ever rejected their own son and kin as the Presidential candidate while voting for others, are the Yoruba of West Africa. Yet, it is not yet Uhuru since some Africans have become selfish as cash mules that care less about their people.

Unexpectedly, repressed tribal politics has also raised its ugly head in the United States of America. Well, it has always been there, the last United States Presidential Election just boiled to the surface what has been brewing for a long time since the end of their Civil War. It is doubtful if they ever recovered from the vestiges of slavery. But they have taken strides to reach the goal of an equitable society.

Africans and scholars in world universities always use the Yoruba as case study for their civilization, tolerance and accommodation. Nigerians also hold them up to their values and egalitarian system whenever they stray out of line. There may be debate of the falling standard in a country that realized Oil Income windfall since the Arab Oil Embargo of 1972. Unfortunately, Nigeria has replaced Asian countries as the face of abject poverty.

The Nigerian Presidential Election produced some surprises along the Regions. While the Eastern states of the country voted over 90 percent along ethnic lines, the West and the old North were divided. The old North made up of different ethnic groups did not follow the old slogan of One North One People because two Presidential candidates contested, dividing the block voted for Hausa or Fulani candidates.

Nevertheless, the Western states that were mainly Yoruba rejected their own son in his state of origin and his adopted state where he has been elected as Governor in the past. The reason Yoruba voted for the Presidential candidates of other ethnic groups in Nigeria points to their Value System. Unlike their counterparts in the same countries, money has never been at the top of their Values in priorities.

Knowledge, honor, status and caliber are appreciated before money. Ethnic loyalty through the political history of Nigeria has always been secondary. So within the Nigerian Youth Movement formed by Herbert Macauley that metamorphosed into a political Party, it is not surprising that he mentored leaders of different ethnic groups. Such as Azikiwe, Awolowo, Ernest Ikoli, Peter Enahoro and many others.

This spirit of honor, caliber and merit regardless of where members come from produced not only leaders but elites that did very well in businesses and politics. While Nigeria was divided along the North and South politically, they found a temporary unity to claim Independence from the British. Indeed, one of the reasons Nnamdi Azikiwe gave for his Party alliance with the Northern Party was to avoid division along the North and South line.

Nevertheless, the Yoruba made Azikiwe the leader of the Party founded by Herbert Macauiey in Lagos and then elected him as leader into the Western House at Ibadan in the Yoruba Western Region. Very rare in African politics. Other ethnic groups flourished in the West in business, law and other educational activities since the Premier University was in Ibadan.

The Balewa Federal Government installed Prof. Kenneth Dike in1963 at the University of Ibadan, as Nigeria's first Vice-Chancellor. In 1965, after the expiration of another Igbo, Prof. Eni Njoku's three-year term as Vice-Chancellor at University of Lagos, Balewa replaced him with a renowned Yoruba historian, Prof. Saburi Biobaku. Kayode Adams, one of the Yoruba student activists at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and others protested against a Yoruba man and stabbed him.

Fast forward, it is not by accident that other ethnic groups were voted for as Presidential candidates while the Yoruba candidates came second in two important Yoruba states. These two Yoruba states knew the characters of their son and rejected him. This critical moral value among Yoruba may be discounted by those ethnic groups that voted for nobody else but their sons. Their hypocrisy stinks to high heavens, knowing their past voting patterns.

Some even claimed they have voted across ethnic lines before. But we know they only do that when their sons are running mates of the party they form an alliance with. Even Abiola a Yoruba that was duly elected as President, the Military Government nullified his mandate. Apart from one Eastern state, an unknown Fulani, Tofa got more votes than Abiola. They later supported the cancellation of the Abiola mandate.

Then, the Military decided on another Yoruba as replacement candidate. The Yoruba put up their own preferred candidate. In unisom, other ethnic groups voted against the Yoruba preferred candidate, Falaye and voted for Obasanjo, the Military Government’s candidate. A cynical move against Yoruba interest.

Fajuyi, the man that stood by Aguiyi Ironsi who refused to bring Nzegwu to justice for killing each ethnic leader in power except Igbo while Igbo celebrated, was called a traitor. Banjo, the Yoruba man that remained loyal to the Biafrans Army and led Biafrans Army into his fatherland was called a traitor and killed by firing squad when he returned to Biafra.

Wole Soyinka, the man who supported Biafra during the Civil War and almost died in prison for it, was called a traitor by Igbo. Tai Solari and Gani Fawehinmi fought Babangida and Abacha to a standstill at the risk of their life. Both were labeled cowards. When the Fulani tried to keep Yar'Adua in a vegetable state in power and ruled by proxy, Yoruba activists fought until his Vice President, a Biafrans nominated by Obasanjo became Acting President.

Jonathan was later voted into Power by the majority of the country from North to South. As soon as he became President, he squandered his enormous goodwill by marginalizing the Yoruba and labeled his benefactor, Obasanjo, a motor park tout. It was during his reign that he declared: our money, we spend it anyway we want. While he boasted about creating more millionaires and billionaires, he left Niger Delta, his home, an environmental disaster worse than he met it.

Despite these transgressions against Yoruba interest in Nigeria, Yoruba voted for the other ethnic groups and rejected their own son. It has never happened anywhere in Europe, Asia, America or Africa. The only way to understand the rationale behind Yoruba action in the last Presidential Election, one has to go back into their Value System.

You wonder if it is short memory or convenient amnesia. Before and even during the Nigerian Civil War, it was Yoruba that were seeking peace and were called Unity Beggars.

Farouk Martins Aresa @oomoaresa

Let the propaganda begin.
Wash and rinse have started in ernest

What the writer carefully left behind is the glaring anti Igbo agenda of the sai Tinubu election agenda of the South West as seen in the region. This time around, all the former Yorubas of conscience jettison that sound conscience, moral rectitude, and sound judgement to root for a crooked criminal because of political survival
History has marked this infamy and a precedence has been set.

Racoon:
What the writer carefully left behind is the glaring anti Igbo agenda of the sai Tinubu election agenda of the South West as seen in the region. This time around, all the former Yorubas of conscience jettison that sound conscience, moral rectitude, and sound judgement to root for a crooked criminal because of political survival
History has marked this infamy and a precedence has been set.

A crooked criminal?Supreme court has confered legitimacy on Tinubu's government.I advise you to be careful of what you say in public space, otherwise you might be invited by DSS

"IT IS A MATTER OF ODU-DU-IWA".

iamwai

tballeyy:
Those are the Yorubas bastard

And you are what

ADOPT FAPRES FOTCS AND CTC FOCS TRFG NOW NOW AND NOW.

Yorubas are liberal with developmental mindset, not like igbos that only believe their own either good or bad is the best

tballeyy:
Those are the Yorubas bastard

It is your progenies who are being fathered by friends and neighbors that are bastards.

If we are to dig deep, it is possible you are one of the descendants of some brutes who had intercourse with orangutans many eons ago and decided to settle in some uninhabited jungle in current day south western Nigeria. You have the effrontery to call true bloods bastards because airtel is giving data bonus?

Everyone has a right to vote for whomever they chose and some people are more cosmopolitan than your forebears and can decide to vote NOT according to tribal lines.

Olodo omo iran kiran. ONKR

Not true.

In 2003, the SE voted Obasanjo of PDP even when Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu of APGA was on the ballot.

In 1993, various parts of the North voted MKO despite Tofa being on the ballot.

Stop that the bulling/ intimidation. I can not work. As me why ?






You may know the answer but ...

kunle4toyeyaho:
A crooked criminal?Supreme court has confered legitimacy on Tinubu's government.I advise you to be careful of what you say in public space, otherwise you might be invited by DSS

Who was the Yoruba candidate rejected by the Yorubas. I could not read all the very long post. Hope it's not OBJ because another Yoruba candidate was available in the person of Olu. In 2003 when it was OBJ and others they chose their brother OBJ

IT IS NOT REJECTION. IT IS RETOOLING AND RETRAINING FOR BETTER STRATEGY.
YORUBAS DID THAT TO AWOLOWO, OBASANJO AND NOW TINUBU.
IT IS A MATTER OF ODU-DU-IWAISM.


iamwai & iamalive.

Get your point straight.

Tofa came from nowhere, was not even known in the North or Nigeria but the East voted for him over Abiola whose philanthropy included everywhere including East before the Election.

Ojukwu never had an electoral value. He joined the same Northern Party that ran him out of the country and lost senatorial election to an unknown.

Even then, as APGA Presidential candidate, the East voted for him..

This is not the first time Yoruba voted against their sons that lack their Values System. They also voted against OBJ who lost his own local constituency at home.

Akintola was voted against but he was not a Presidential candidate. Get the difference?

Tinubu was a Governor of Lagos State but he lost to Peter Obi in Lagos and lost to Atiku in Osun. Respect Yoruba, if not for anything, on principle and Values System.

Imagine Kayode Adam's, the UNILAG student activist and others insisting on Njoku instead of Biobaku?

Mordecai:


Not true.

In 2003, the SE voted Obasanjo of PDP even when Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu of APGA was on the ballot.

In 1993, various parts of the North voted MKO despite Tofa being on the ballot.

Yorubas are the most civilized and foremost progressive pple in Africa.

Yorubas are very objective and intelligent group of pple.

Yorubas have very high morals values / standards, and don't blindly support based on ethnic or religious lines.

Again, there's a reason Yorubas are the APEX predators and top of the Pyramid in Africa!

jara:
Get your point straight.

Today came from nowhere, was not even known in the North or Nigeria but the East voted for him over Abiola whose philanthropy included everywhere including East before the Election.

Ojukwu never had electoral value. He joined the same Northern Party that ran him out of the country and lost senatorial election to an unknown.

Even then, as APGA Presidential candidate in, the East voted for him..

This is not the first time Yoruba voted against their sons that lack their Values System. They also voted against OBJ who lost his own local constituency at home.

Akintola was voted against but he was not a Presidential candidate.

Tinubu was a Governor of Lagos State but he lost to Peter Obi in Lagos and lost to Atiku in Osun. Respect Yoruba, if not for anything, on principle and Values System.

Imagine Kayode Adam's, the UNILAG student activist and others insisting on Dike instead of Biobaku?

The Balewa Federal Government installed Prof. Kenneth Dike in1963 at the University of Ibadan, as Nigeria's first Vice-Chancellor. In 1965, after the expiration of another Igbo, Prof. Eni Njoku's three-year term as Vice-Chancellor at University of Lagos, Balewa replaced him with a renowned Yoruba historian, Prof. Saburi Biobaku. Kayode Adams, one of the Yoruba student activists at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and others protested against a Yoruba man and stabbed him.

You miss the point. The Yoruba have been known to take a principled stand, time and again. That is not under contention.

What is under contention is the argument that ONLY the Yoruba have ever done that.

I gave two instances of it happening elsewhere. More abound.

tballeyy:
Those are the Yorubas bastard

We cannot do without having them as more and more women sleep around

Very foolish write up. Absolutely irresponsible.

Since we have come to the realization that ethnic interests reign, why not advocate a simple and peaceful breakup?

What the OP has written, carelessly overlooked the fact that in 1999, there was a consensus agreement to vote for a Southwest candidate, as a means to appease the Yorubas. It must not be forgotten that the victory of the late MKO transcended religion and tribe. The northerners voted against Tofa, their own person. The SE, SS and entire north voted for MKO. His loss was a national tragedy, felt by all.

When we were presented two candidates from the Southwest, it was necessary to make a choice. However OBJ was the candidate of the military and by the way more popular than Olu Falae. The same OBJ has been denounced by his own tribe and people, claiming that he is not a Yoruba person. How they organized and planted the lie into the hearts of their gullible believers, remain a mystery for the likes of this OP to unravel. The SE voted twice in 1999 and 2003 for OBJ, who by the way was and remains a nationalist. He unarguably is the best of all Presidents since 1999. He was the best of the military heads of states.

As it stands, in the 24 years of our present democracy, we have had a SW president of eight years, a Vice President of eight years and now another SW President.

Who fools who here please?

Am sure you would add Obi winning lagos means Yoroubas were the architect.
Have never seen a people who can openly lie like some of you do.

No need going in circles just for argument sake.

1. Point to any benevolent Mentor for all Nigerians that was not furthering the sole interest of his ethnic base - apart from Herbert Macauley.

2. Mention Activists from any part of Nigeria fighting for all, apart from an ethnic parochial interest by numbers greater than Yoruba.

3. Who took on and force Ahmadu Bello to campaign in the North, established Opposition Party in the North and the East, apart from Action Group?

4. What is the cause of Akintola's revolt but insisting that Awo must form Alliance with the North instead of the East. Akintola was right, Yoruba cannot be comfortable in Opposition while Zik negotiated with Balewa, Shagari (Ekueme), had notice about Nzeogwu coup while Ironsi and Ojukwu protected him (Nzeogwu)?

5. Who are the Unity Beggars?

Yoruba Youths realized lack of reciprocity and told their parents: Your Mumu Don Do!

It baffles the mind why people would deny or claim the obvious that Yoruba are not the only ones, they are the father of Yoruba or Yoruba land belonged to them.

How many ethnic group in the whole world, send anyone born outside their land by a different ethnic group to represent them as leader as Yoruba sent Azikiwe to Ibadan in the Western House?

No wonder he dreamed he and his people were born to rule. If you mention one Hausa or Fulani village personality in the 18 or 19th century that you elevated to Mayor today in Enugu or so, that you burned his house and sent his family packing. I will knock you head.

Some of you even used Military posting of Military governors as examples. Tell us which ethnic group did in the world, apart from Colonization.

Which Ethnic group established many First in Africa which some countries could not achieve in Europe. Many of you love Yoruba and Yoruba love you back. But do not disrespect them by snatching their victories from the head out of hate.

Mind yourselves O! Yoruba nor be una mate. Na fate mix us together. Celebrate Yoruba and kiss the ground the way migrants do in the United States: Only In America! Love It Or Leave It

Unfortunately, it's still the same Yorubas some idiots refer to as the most tribalistic among the the 3 major ethnic groups.

kunle4toyeyaho:
A crooked criminal?Supreme court has confered legitimacy on Tinubu's government.I advise you to be careful of what you say in public space, otherwise you might be invited by DSS

And used as a scape goat.

jara:
No need going in circles just for argument sake.

1. Point to any benevolent Mentor for all Nigerians that was not furthering the sole interest of his ethnic base - apart from Herbert Macauley.

2. Mention Activists from any part of Nigeria fighting for all, apart from an ethnic parochial interest by numbers greater than Yoruba.

3. Who took on and force Ahmadu Bello to campaign in the North, established Opposition Party in the North and the East, apart from Action Group?

4. What is the cause of Akintola's revolt but insisting that Awo must form Alliance with the North instead of the East. Akintola was right, Yoruba cannot be comfortable in Opposition while Zik negotiated with Balewa, Shagari (Ekueme), had notice about Nzeogwu coup while Ironsi and Ojukwu protected him (Nzeogwu)?

5. Who are the Unity Beggars?

Yoruba Youths realized lack of reciprocity and told their parents: Your Mumu Don Do!

Yoruba youths haven't actually realized their parents' mistakes at all. Do you know the number of Yoruba youths and families that voted for Obi? E plenty o.

I for example was routing for Obi until I realised that Hausas, including the ones in APC had plans to support Atiku in order to make Hausa continue ruling. This was evident through the naira redesign policy and so much fuel scarcity in order to discredit APC and make Nigerians vote PDP. I wouldn't blame them for their choice though but the fact that some people refer to Yoruba as the most tribasic is very unreasonable.

So far a Yoruba man is your president and our choice candidate Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu got re-elected in Lagos, no problems..

We will deal with our internal politics and get our acts right before the next general elections in 2027.
No ethno-religious bigot will get the chance to use dubious means and campaign of calumny to acquire votes from our people. Election is not religious war!

IT IS A MATTER OF ODU-DU-IWAISM.