[s]

omazus:
Mr. Omatseye, I like reading you every Monday at the back of the Nation. Before now, as an undergraduate I read you in the Sun Newspapers. The truth is, I do not read you because of the wisdom and the truth contained in your write up but in your mastery and skillful use of the English language. It is a pity that that skill which made me to fall in love you is lacking in this write up.

Just yesterday, as Nigerians were killing themselves I was ensconsed in Thomas Friedman's book, "The Lexus and the Olive Tree." It is a book about globalisation and world development. In that book Friedman artfully exposed what I may call the problem of Nigeria. And it is this. "Half of the world seemed to be intent ... on building a better lexus, dedicated to modernising, streamlining and privatizing their economies in order to thrive in the system of globalisation. And half of the world - sometimes half the same country, sometimes half the same person - was still caught up in the fight over who owns which olive tree." That a writer should lend his trade to struggle about ownership of an olive tree, and to lie bardefacedly while doing so tells much about us as a country.[/s]

The truth is that the Yoruba person is is ingrained with an incurable hatred of the Igbo.[s] I do not know why. But this is why I say so. A Yoruba friend told me how as a kid he read a book about the origin of the Igbo. It was a Yoruba book which he showed to me but since I couldn't raed the language I couldn't follow with the content. In that book, the Igbo was a product of a relationship between a Yoruba female outcast and a monkey. If I did not believe this many comments I have read from Yoruba nairalanders here have4 made allusion to this. Therefore, I was not suprised when a Yoruba child of 12 years who visited me, sat on my house and was served food declared to my own daughter with whom she was sharing the food that she hates all Igbo people. I was taken aback. At such a tender age. I sat back and asked her, so you hate me. She said no that I'm a good person but she hates all other Igbo persons. The message has been delevered and Igot it. Children get their worldviews from their parents and if a child could harbour such a thought then we are all done as a nation.

My point is this, the Igbo were agitated by Oba's comment because almost all of them in Lagos are aware of this feeling of hatred against them. And in the recent time we have heard of giving the Igbo in Lagos the Hausa treatment they received in Kano. Now it is becoming an official practice to hate the Igbo and stop him by all means the Igbo must have a rethink. As a tribe we must make a conscious decision that henceforth no further buying and developing of property in Lagos. If you have made money, take it down to the East and build there. Thank you.[/s]

If the emboldened statement in your post does not highlight incurable paranoia, I don't know what does.
I take it you have that bit of conjecture on good authority...

More to the point; where were your expressions of a siege-mentality, when Oba Akiolu addressed other 'subjects' using the same language last year? (see further below)

Wait a minute, isn't it true that what your post really portrays is the kind of hypocrisy which has you looking the other way when other Nigerians are repatriated to their places of origin - as Fashola has done severally - but not when it concerns those from a particular sub-region. No? In other words, the well penned indignation about the inhuman treatment of a particular cohort who are to be considered 'special'?

Just so you know - while those of us who have chosen to maintain a steely silence can handle disagreeable opinions, which are conveyed with candour, we have absolutely no time for those who traverse the route of duplicity.

May 2014

APC Chieftains Bomb Oba Akiolu…Say ‘You Lack Power To Impose Ambode As Lagos Gov’

"Irked by the reported endorsement of Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode by the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, a political group in the state, the Visioners for New Lagos (VNL) insisted at the weekend that the Lagos monarch did not have the kind of powers he arrogated to himself but merely relished in grand illusion.

The group which claimed it has been vindicated by the unguarded disposition of the “phantom Lagos elders” as represented by Akiolu for which it raised the alarm some weeks ago, said Akiolu had only veered off his brief by arrogating to himself, the right and power to determine who governs Lagos.

Akiolu had Thursday at a book launch said Ambode had been anointed a successor to Fashola in 2015.

“I will not lie to you. The elders of Lagos have met and they have said that Ambode should be governor. The elders have said Ambode should be the next governor of Lagos State. Other aspirants have the right to aspire too. But I will not open my eyes and allow the son of the Oba of Ewekoro to be the governor. But all things are in the hand of God Almighty,” he said.

Leader of the group, Mr. Bambo Akin-Johnson said when the group drew the attention of the public to the fact that “Tinubu and his business partner, Akiolu had endorsed Ambode as Governor Fashola’s successor some weeks ago, Tinubu had denied in a press statement, forcing many undiscerning to think it was a typical political ranting.

“But today, that would no longer be an issue. That they have come out of their hiding is good for us. It has vindicated us and exposed them. It shows there is more to this satanic endorsement than meets the eye. Unfortunately for them, they have made their antics known early enough and the better for the challenge ahead,” he said.

Read more


December 2015

Oba Akiolu Places Curses On Ambode’s Opponents

..Tinubu Angry With Monarch

...Last week, Oba Akiolu received some prominent indigenes of Lagos and politicians in his palace where he started raining curses and abuses on anybody that does not support Ambode. He said any family that is against Ambode in Lagos will perish and will never be prosperous.

”What came out from Oba Akiolu’s mouth shocked a lot of people, because he is supposed to be father to everybody in Lagos. A lot of people there were angry with Oba Akiolu because he has no reason to place curses on anybody that is not in support of his candidate”. Our source stated.

Meanwhile, we gathered that some top APC politicians in Lagos are already withdrawing their supports for Akinwunmi Ambode over what they described as the overzealousness and domineering posture of Oba Akiolu.

Source

pendicle:
Any one who think the indigenes of Lagos will overlook the stupidity and morbid mouth haemorrage of the chest beating but useless tribe is living in foolery.

When they turn blind eye and ethnic fighter to take on the most powerful king in their host abode for expressing a private wish to private guests in his private home and turn that into an avenue to abuse and insult their forefathers who they wake up with karate kicks then they know not who they deal with.

When the Hausa's in Sagamu took the quietness and loving nature of the Remo people for granted and felt they have the numbers to cause trouble, they were dwelt with extensively with multiple beheadings during Oro night curfews and outright and enough financial and physical pains they went to bring the sultan of sokoto and the late emir of kano to beg forgiveness.

Today an average Hausa man in sabo and other places in sagamu know his place.

The Igbos in Lagos and especially those on the Island will know the real powers of the OLOWO EKO, when you think you are something but not knowing you're nobody, only the experience after your foolishness will put it to you, the election should have proven to them who own Lagos by now and their numbers are so inconsequential that Hausa's are more useful than them in Lagos.

The politics and awareness of Lagos changed after the last election and it is now the igbos will know Lagos has been even before their forefathers learn to live like human beings and not animals.

We know how to treat fuckups like this, it is entrenched in our cultural and traditional ways long long ago, civilization made it go under but it will come out now. Oba Oyekan begged that Oro should be done very very late into the night cause of visitors and outsiders and should be confined to only indigenous part of Lagos but now we will do it everywhere in Lagos to prove the land is ours and we earned it from our forebears.

The Aworis will do gelede, the eguns will do zangbeto, the ikorodus will do agemo and eluku and then these bastards wil know the LAND OF LAGOS truly have owners.

Awon omo irankiran, ato ko wa ba leje.

nice write up.

Some fools among them still underestimate what the yorubas can do.

They are quick to forget what 2 yoruba men in the persons of awolowo and benjamin adekunle did to them. Awolowo messed them up with a single policy of starvation while the black scorpion finished them off with his ruggedity.

Those were just 2 men. Imagine what will happen now that the yoruba nation has risen from its slumber.

A simple unannounced oro festival can be targeted at non-yorubas alone, but I don't condone the benjamin adekunle way.

Yes, you are right. But the igbos are the ones playing very dangerous and reckless politics with the fortunes of Nigeria. They have deliberately adopted the role of ANTS(Proverb6:6-, without inhibition, everywhere they are and they practise this style nefariously and by subterfuge to the chagrin of their hosts. In the shadow of GEJ, it is like a plan to reestablish Biafra and destabilise Nigeria. OBJ once said, "Afterall, why can't we all be proud to be Nigerians"? And that is a Nigerian!!!!

You have sold all yyour lands to the extent you have nowhere to organize social functions without blocking the expressways, now indigenes that came bought everything and build massive abodes only for you to come back and start bleating like deranged goats.

Lagos is a no man's land, if oil in ND is no regions oil why shouldn't Lagos that Nigerian build be all Nigeria comers affairs.
Why don't you ask for a separate government or regional structure so that Lagos will be fully your and your share the proceeds and benefits from your cup-in-hand beggarly mud caves.

If you guys build Lagos why won't you replicate another lagos in your mud apparitions.

Lagos is a no man's land, when you sell your ancestral lands to strangers where you bury your dead ones are your lands.

I like your type. Juxtaposing two unrelated events is mark of a dead mind. I give up.

TheOtherview:
[s]

If the emboldened statement in your post does not highlight incurable paranoia, I don't know what does.
I take it you have that bit of conjecture on good authority...

More to the point; where were your expressions of a siege-mentality, when Oba Akiolu addressed other 'subjects' using the same language last year? (see further below)

Wait a minute, isn't it true that what your post really portrays is the kind of hypocrisy which has you looking the other way when other Nigerians are repatriated to their places of origin - as Fashola has done severally - but not when it concerns those from a particular sub-region. No? In other words, the well penned indignation about the inhuman treatment of a particular cohort who are to be considered 'special'?

Just so you know - while those of us who have chosen to maintain a steely silence can handle disagreeable opinions, which are conveyed with candour, we have absolutely no time for those who traverse the route of duplicity.

May 2014

Read more


December 2015

Source

When your parents were busy selling lands to organise naming ceremonies for you where were your aged uncles.

Do you think that without selling lands with reckless abandon that you would have gone to school, do you think you will be bearing any name by now, don't you know hunger would have rendered you perpetually paralyzed.

If you want your land vomit all the money and interests and take your lands, they are all there for you.

Blame your fathers not the strangers because the lands where not forcully taken away from them by intimidation.
You benefited from the bounty so live with the pains or die fussing

Segeggs:
nice write up.

Some fools among them still underestimate what the yorubas can do.

They are quick to forget what 2 yoruba men in the persons of awolowo and benjamin adekunle did to them. Awolowo messed them up with a single policy of starvation while the black scorpion finished them off with his ruggedity.

Those were just 2 men. Imagine what will happen now that the yoruba nation has risen from its slumber.

A simple unannounced oro festival can be targeted at non-yorubas alone, but I don't condone the benjamin adekunle way.

omazus:
I like your type. Juxtaposing two unrelated events is mark of a dead mind. I give up.

Says the one whose stock-in-trade appears to be 'selective reasoning'.

Well said Omatseye

pendicle:


It is the modern day western wannabe lifestyle that is rubbing off on our culture and believes. Will this nyamiris go to Oshogbo and say it is no man' s land when they see them do Osun Festival yearly, yet you will see some Yoruba pastors and imams saying it should be scrapped.

The late Ayangburen of Ikorodu had wanted to stop the Isemo days or that they should shift the events to only nights few years ago cos of civilization but it was the traditional institutions and elites such as T.O.S Benson who warned him seriously, it even led to open confrontation between the two of them, now the lesson that those who says those cultural and traditional events should be continued is now open to all who opposed it.

Lagos have many abandoned traditional events aside the popular eyo festival even the spiritual aspect of the eyo have been jettisoned to accommodate more synchronization with modern times, who born bastards to watch when the Adamu Orisha procession comes out.

There will be so many rejuvenation of old cultural and traditional events in Lagos. The Oba has already given go ahead. The palace have realized many mistakes of the past and trust me, the saros and the Brazilian quarters have been informed on what to do, the various traditional houses and title and land owners from the ojoras to the onilegbale to the onikoyis and other houses are marshalling out plans to deal with the issue.

What have been buried will be uprooted and it won't be an open and clear thing, we will deal with them the traditional and cultural way. The way they rushed in they will rush out with their tails behind they sorry azzes.

Imagine awon omo ale daring the ELEKO on his land. They want lessons in history and surely they will be taught. The process and procedure already with those who are dealing with it.

This is very deep.
I'm elated that either through positive or negative circumstances, Yoruba and Africans in the Diaspora are beginning to tread the path of Yoruba tradition without shame or reservations to it.

Indeed, western civilization has really rubbed off on our culture but then it is rubbing off on those who choose to let it happen to them. Imagine Yoruba folks, out of pretense of being 'civilized', said very rude and negative things to Eleko over the pre-election brouhaha? I was very livid! These are the same folks who disrespect their parents/elderly ones at home over being westernized.

Resurrecting abandoned aspects of our culture will go a long way in helping to slowly rehabilitate Yoruba generations because I have discovered many young folks are drawn to Yoruba traditional stuffs but due to its evasive style and seclusion, negative mysticism has become so attached to it that many practise or participate in hiding. For example, virtually every family compounds in my hometown do festivals everyday and it is encompassing that every young and grown folks from the house participate and know what it entails regardless of their adopted beliefs. This in a sense has helped to sustain a flow of tradition and culture in the face of westernization.

I hope Eleko and Idejos pick up the abandoned traditions of their fathers.

KIRIJI:
Very True

You're back.
Been a while, where and how have you been bro?

U think Lagos gov don't have plan for the igbos? They just won't make it public like the oba did, keep making noise, at the end of everything igbo people will be d loser

9jacrip, SirShymexx & Pendicle

You chaps are amazing.

These new Yoruba consciousness gladdens my heart.

I do hope that the old Yoruba festivals can be revived.

Lagos, no man's land - we shall see.

MAKE ALL YOUR MONEY AND GO BACK TO YOUR LAND-LOCKED SOUTHEAST. LAGOS STILL REMAINS.

Katsumoto:
9jacrip, SirShymexx & Pendicle

You chaps are amazing.

These new Yoruba consciousness gladdens my heart.

I do hope that the old Yoruba festivals can be revived.

Lagos, no man's land - we shall see.

I hope so too.

Most of these festivals have been edited and as a result, lost their essence while some that have not been touched are relegated, as a result they are done low key or abandoned totally.

Between, wrote a reply to your mention but the thread had already been removed so I could not put it through.

If only we have a good rail transportation system!

In Finland, you can live in Enugu and work in Lagos! Chai.
But till then, take my advice!



Its good to move away from home to 'hammer' ( esp to
Lagos bc of d ports and bc most companies' headquarters
and recruitment agencies are situated there and bc it was
formerly d country's capital) but wat stops u from
developing ur father's land when you have enough to do
so. WHY spend so much where u'l be expected to be
grateful dat 'u were accomodated even after paying rent?
Develop Aguata, Ihiala, Ekwusigo, Nnewi( already in
progress to the glory of God) Onitsha etc. You may be
wondering why am mentioning only places in Anambra,
Go to the computer village, Alaba, Island, trade fair and
festac to mention but a few, and find out d owners of
those shops and tall plazas. 'I HATE ILLITERACY WITH
PASSION' .NO PLACE ON the MAP OF NIGERIA IS
CALLED' NO MAN'S LAND' anyone that refuses to follow
examples will end up in shambles. History will continue
to repeat itself if we continue to ignore it.
Go to zik's home at Limca Road Onitsha and see the
funny state of structures there. Those that did what ure
doing today ( planning to do ) yesterday, where are they
today? AKURUO ULO
If u live and work in Lagos and have built a mansion or
ure planning to build one, when your parents are still
managing a 'no-fence' 2bed-room apartment without a
toilet in ur village, SHAME ON YOU. Make Money! Oh Yes!
But go home and develop your father's land. There is no
place called ' no man's land' on the map of Nigeria. Its a
pity that d Wisdom most of us claim to have ends in
buying and selling (money making). 'AKURUO ULO'
Most (if not all) of the great men of God from the west,
business men, industrialists, academicians etc built one
great structure, business, industry or just anything good in
their home town, same can be said about the north. some
built schools and are offering scholarships till today. Can
we say the same about the Igbos? your answer is as
good as mine. AKURUO ULO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WSosECbcmM



What the Sadauna said many decades ago about ibo people sounds like it was said today.

[s]

ichidodo:
^^^^ Lagos remains no man's land as long as Nigeria remains one and it struggles to become an economic hub...Simply put,the indigenes lost their ancestral rights with the steady influx of yoriba immigrants and non-yoriba immigrants,infact-just like the Columbus effect on Red Indians,throwing the entire northern American continent into no man's land for European immigrants-the core Lagos indigene has become extinct therefore Lagos is no man's land......Omatseye writes for the Nation,do the maths.

[/s]

Chidera the fool, you have never make sense on nairaland. No wonder you look like a drunk sheep.

pendicle:
Any one who think the indigenes of Lagos will overlook the stupidity and morbid mouth haemorrage of the chest beating but useless tribe is living in foolery.

When they turn blind eye and ethnic fighter to take on the most powerful king in their host abode for expressing a private wish to private guests in his private home and turn that into an avenue to abuse and insult their forefathers who they wake up with karate kicks then they know not who they deal with.

When the Hausa's in Sagamu took the quietness and loving nature of the Remo people for granted and felt they have the numbers to cause trouble, they were dwelt with extensively with multiple beheadings during Oro night curfews and outright and enough financial and physical pains they went to bring the sultan of sokoto and the late emir of kano to beg forgiveness.

Today an average Hausa man in sabo and other places in sagamu know his place.

The Igbos in Lagos and especially those on the Island will know the real powers of the OLOWO EKO, when you think you are something but not knowing you're nobody, only the experience after your foolishness will put it to you, the election should have proven to them who own Lagos by now and their numbers are so inconsequential that Hausa's are more useful than them in Lagos.

The politics and awareness of Lagos changed after the last election and it is now the igbos will know Lagos has been even before their forefathers learn to live like human beings and not animals.

We know how to treat fuckups like this, it is entrenched in our cultural and traditional ways long long ago, civilization made it go under but it will come out now. Oba Oyekan begged that Oro should be done very very late into the night cause of visitors and outsiders and should be confined to only indigenous part of Lagos but now we will do it everywhere in Lagos to prove the land is ours and we earned it from our forebears.

The Aworis will do gelede, the eguns will do zangbeto, the ikorodus will do agemo and eluku and then these bastards wil know the LAND OF LAGOS truly have owners.

Awon omo irankiran, ato ko wa ba leje.

Word.

wakacome:
When will all this tribal war stop??other countries are working on how they will move their country forward,some nigerians are busy focusing on tribalistic issue that is making them stay backward!!!!!when you get out from this country what outsiders know is that you are a nigerian,they don't care whether you are yoruba,igbo,hausa,delta,etc

Tell that to the ibos

Important: Nairaland's Rule 2 Has Been Updated by Ishilove: 9:54am
Please note that Nairaland's Rule 2 has been updated.

It was formerly: "Don't abuse, bully, deliberately insult/provoke, fight, or wish harm to Nairaland members."

It has been updated to : Don't abuse, bully, deliberately insult/provoke, fight, or wish harm to Nairaland members OR THEIR TRIBES.

Deliberately insulting, provoking or wishing harm to any tribe or ethnic group will no longer be tolerated.

Thank you.

Regards.

I'll advice the Mods to quickly take down this thread as it contravenes the above bolded stipulations.

ichidodo:
^^^^ Lagos remains no man's land as long as Nigeria remains one and it struggles to become an economic hub...Simply put,the indigenes lost their ancestral rights with the steady influx of yoriba immigrants and non-yoriba immigrants,infact-just like the Columbus effect on Red Indians,throwing the entire northern American continent into no man's land for European immigrants-the core Lagos indigene has become extinct therefore Lagos is no man's land......Omatseye writes for the Nation,do the maths.

u always amaze me when u talk from the corner of that your dimly-lit room. Who said Lagos indigenes are extinct? Just because you're allowed to do business unhindered you now want to start beating you barrel chest up and down. When fight starts, plenty people would just die for nothing while you run back to comfort zone to suck mummy's breast

First of all fight fulanis that is killing you in your land before sparing with an igboman, fulanis have relegated to backgrounds of islam in your land and your here looking for an igboman to threaten, keep yourselves busy here while Fulanis are turning you to rags in your own land, a day won't go without one hearing a yoloba is stabbed in ogba or mile 2 or oshogbo or ore is ransacked by the fulanis.
Keep chasing phantom igbo trouble

Hardetayour:
u always amaze me when u talk from the corner of that your dimly-lit room. Who said Lagos indigenes are extinct? Just because you're allowed to do business unhindered you now want to start beating you barrel chest up and down. When fight starts, plenty people would just die for nothing while you run back to comfort zone to suck mummy's breast

My take on Oba speech
Lagos is not a no man's land .
All non-indigenes are immigrants (Yoruba inclusive)
It's overstatement to say that you own lagos BC you ve been long there.

There will never be n appointment for the man who wrote this BC he is seeking favour. Let him consent rate on the 4 million naira he made during campaign.

Even during the civil war, the Yoruba did not only keep Igbo property, but kept their rents.


You see these ingrate igbos cursing Awolowo for their woes in their senseless Biafra war.

I put it to igbos if they can do - then or now - what Yoruba did for them as pointed out by the OP.
They are too greedy to protect anybody's property. How can they when they want to rob another person's of his city in broad day light.

obikirinoni:
If only we have a good rail transportation system!

In Finland, you can live in Enugu and work in Lagos! Chai.
But till then, take my advice!



Its good to move away from home to 'hammer' ( esp to
Lagos bc of d ports and bc most companies' headquarters
and recruitment agencies are situated there and bc it was
formerly d country's capital) but wat stops u from
developing ur father's land when you have enough to do
so. WHY spend so much where u'l be expected to be
grateful dat 'u were accomodated even after paying rent?
Develop Aguata, Ihiala, Ekwusigo, Nnewi( already in
progress to the glory of God) Onitsha etc. You may be
wondering why am mentioning only places in Anambra,
Go to the computer village, Alaba, Island, trade fair and
festac to mention but a few, and find out d owners of
those shops and tall plazas. 'I HATE ILLITERACY WITH
PASSION' .NO PLACE ON the MAP OF NIGERIA IS
CALLED' NO MAN'S LAND' anyone that refuses to follow
examples will end up in shambles. History will continue
to repeat itself if we continue to ignore it.
Go to zik's home at Limca Road Onitsha and see the
funny state of structures there. Those that did what ure
doing today ( planning to do ) yesterday, where are they
today? AKURUO ULO
If u live and work in Lagos and have built a mansion or
ure planning to build one, when your parents are still
managing a 'no-fence' 2bed-room apartment without a
toilet in ur village, SHAME ON YOU. Make Money! Oh Yes!
But go home and develop your father's land. There is no
place called ' no man's land' on the map of Nigeria. Its a
pity that d Wisdom most of us claim to have ends in
buying and selling (money making). 'AKURUO ULO'
Most (if not all) of the great men of God from the west,
business men, industrialists, academicians etc built one
great structure, business, industry or just anything good in
their home town, same can be said about the north. some
built schools and are offering scholarships till today. Can
we say the same about the Igbos? your answer is as
good as mine. AKURUO ULO

I don't think they will listen

Chiefpriest1:
This divisive write-up is totally unnecessary. We know who owns lagos. The yoruba people do. People should stop fanning the embers of disunity for their selfish interest.

Omatseye should calm down abeg. By the way the man who's writing is not even yoruba,but itsekiri.

Op, pls add the source, I guess its the nation newspapers

Itsekiri people are part of the extended Yoruba family.

I like this...
ibos must learn that Lagos will never be up for grabs.

Ok, let me make this as practical as I can;

1. In the mid 80s, a scrap book/print outs came out. These book sought to rewrite the basis of relationship between Christians and Muslims. A lot of falsehood was spewed through the book. The book instructed muslims to attack and kill all christian leaders as their compatriots did in the North. Guess what? the book had no author, no publishing authority or any known source. More like a disgruntled fellow sat on his type-writer and wrote his personal opinions and started spreading it. Now I ask, Should we have taken that as the thought of all Muslims towards Christians? I still maintain that you're basing your assumption on an unverified source. All the Yorubas in the house will tell you that our study in Yoruba history and literature had no such report. Even if a family decides to feed their children with falsehood through printouts, it still does not make it a credible source.

2. The above brings me to a position I have take with regards to my perception about the problems facing us. I think we need to do more in critiquing points people lay in our fronts. Does it make sense? Your story of Prostitute/Monkey should have told your that is a questionable submission. Even mysticism will not paint it that lame.

3. I think you need to get out of a fixation. It would seem to me that you've taken a position about the Yoruba tribe, and isolated questionable cases like this simply "validate" your opinions. The danger is you'll give yourself away too often

4. I have tried to stay away from the issue of the Oba's saga. I tarried a while to get more facts and not the emotional laden speeches that pervaded the social media. An Igbo lawyer that was at the meeting had come out to state that the Oba was misrepresented and he was not talking to the generality of the Igbos but to a specific ones in the context of his discussion. They further stated that the meeting was a friendly mood all through. Prof. Pat Utomi came out to state that he'd known the Oba for well over 20years, and that he's misunderstood. He could come across as harsh, but those are his ways of engaging in friendly discussions. Now for me the Oba made a statement that had consequences; a big mistake on his part, even though from those that care to understand was a case of careless statement with altruistic intention.

5. I think many of the Igbos had allowed anger to becloud their judgements, going on the offensive without trying to understand the background. I understand some Igbos group have taken the Oba's case to Human Rights Commission and other stuffs like that. I stand to be corrected, but I think if we could xray many of the minds on these angry people, it's more about the opportunity to take a pound of flesh from a long standing enemy tribe and not the collective good of the Igbos. Some even gullibly followed without knowing the facts of the case. Many did not consider the spill over effects. Do you in all honesty think the Yorubas will be happy while you take advantage of this slip to make a fool of their Oba? What even gives you the impression that there are no reprimanding for the Oba in respectful form? The truth is also is that notable Yoruba's came out to condemn the Oba's statement. Femi Falana for instant advised that the Oba should apologise to the Igbos....

6. I did not I seek to desecrate your person. If you check my submission again, I wrote it from the perspective of what is fanning the embers of discord. On NL many write calling Lagos a no-man's land. If you looked at Omatseye's article, the "no man's land issue" was one of the fulcrum of his analysis. My position is, if we seek true and peaceful co-existence, why don't we shun positions that puts us in counter-productive state? This is one of the point of concerns of Lagosians that the Igbos should respect. Napoleon Bonaparte wisely instructed his army on conduct when they were on transition through the Arab world. He commanded that they learn the culture and orientation of the "Mohametans" so that they can engage in peaceful relationships and commerce, rather than disparage their institution and incur conflict.

7. My position on Achebe's book is that Achebe by his statement on Awolowo has set back the chances of wiping out the ill-feelings, painful memories and chances of true and contrite reconciliation by another 50years. I'm still saying it, I don't think it will serve any lofty purpose if Awolowo catalogue Ojukwu's sin on the war and expect no reaction from Igbo audience. The mistake you guys make is that you imagine your world view is the only legal view.

omazus:
Thank you bro for your comment. I hope we have found a ground for conversation. But before then, let me tell you that the book in question was not found with a 12 year old but a 31 year old. And he read it in his teen. And before God and man, you cannot deny knowledge of the existence of such book. For the reason you stated that the book was not officially approved for study in schools, we have kept quite about it. But the truth is that generations who read that book whether officially or unofficially are gradually taking over reins of power, and coupled with latest happening we must be on the alert.

I will be a fool to say that Igbos are all saints. We are not. But see what most Yoruba commentators have failed to see when they converse with the Igbo. The Igbo are able to isolate the culprit whenever they criticise. In the case in point Oba was rightly isolated. In your comment about Lagos as a no man's land, you desecrate my person, rendered me a nonentity by ascribing the saying of one Igbo man to me. Lagos for me is not a no man's land but instead of you to attack the man who said it you choose to attack all the Igbo. And when the Igbo attacked Oba for his misadventure the whole Yoruba came up that they are being attacked. The same happened when Achebe's book blamed Awolowo for his role during the war the whole Yoruba race said they were being attacked. This is what others do not understand about you. But every day you write about individuals from other areas and those people do not say all of them are being attacked.

Chiefpriest1:
This divisive write-up is totally unnecessary. We know who owns lagos. The yoruba people do. People should stop fanning the embers of disunity for their selfish interest.

Omatseye should calm down abeg. By the way the man who's writing is not even yoruba,but itsekiri.

Op, pls add the source, I guess its the nation newspapers

Yes, Sam Omatseye is an Itsekiri man, and so also the Guild of Editors at The Nation. Being a man from the SS and a someone who is born the SW, the article is much needed. The Yorubas are the most accommodating of all the tribes. They throw away differences and stand behind you whether your root is known or not.

I could remember meeting Omatseye on several occasions. The rapport between him, Gbenga Omotosho, Lekan Otunfoduri, the online new editor, is examplary. I know the three and I believe this article, coming from a third party is needed. I'm not tribalist or whatsoever but I believe the gentility of the Yorubas are being taken for a ride.

The Yorubas often make me forget my roots and at no point in my life has anyone of them insulted me as not being one of them. Jonathan and Agbaje really succeeded in reminding us who we really are, this, I believe, is our root cause. Oba Akiolu, though, went far but I honestly do not blame him.

My Yoruba friends who served in the SE narrated on several occasions of how a Champions League night is so disturbing. They are often reminded as being Yorubas and called "N.gbati"( the word has been substituted for Yoruba on the forum) people. I strongly feel some of the ethnic tribes in the SW are way too comfortable such that ownership claims are the next on their agenda. Modakeke and Ife comes to mind, but that's a bit different because both are Yorubas.

Regardless, being defined by ethnicity and religion in a country of over 160 million people is bad. The need to be cohesive, not only in the SW but also in the North, the SE and the SS is paramount. At the long run, we would say Nigeria binds and defines us.

We are all settlers. Just because you are there before others does not mean you own the place permanently. In another five hundred or a thousand years,Lagos could be permanently under or a glorious if the inhabitants are able yo keep the ocean at bay.

Mother nature owns it all and the best you can do is live while can and stop being a hapless peasant. Don't let foools rule or decieve you,be the master of your faith and the captain if your soul.

mapet:


Bros,

I'd rather you went straight to your points, but your retort and critique on skillful writing is ironic as you made blunders which you seemingly accused Omatseye of.

First off, I will not bother requesting for verification of the name of the Yoruba book you claimed you saw with a 12 year old on the history of Igbos. A simple check on all Yoruba literature used in schools and approved by state ministries of education will show that no such book exist. Will you rather now blame a nation for some printouts that was of no known academic background? I do not claim the mastery of the skill of writing, but I know simply logic does not permit these errors of generalization and quoting from on verified sources.

For me I think the lessons that should be learnt is hardly learnt and we keep making the same mistakes all over. Let me just say a few;
1. When we don't respect each other; or better still we outrightly ridicule each other's tribes, the embers of discord will keep growing. Considering the number of unsavory things I see on NL as reflective of some collective positions of the divide is scary
2. This feeling of "they hate me, so I hate them" will not make the problem go away
3. I think well meaning Igbos should tell their folks to back off the issue of "Lagos, a no man's land". It has not worked, neither will it. It will only incur more ill-feeling and I dare say it's senseless and disrespectful of Lagosians.
4. We have a collective responsibilities of passing the right values to our children.

On the Oba's comment's, well Igbos were obviously agitated, but wisdom at times tells us we are circumspect in our reaction and take paths that are expedient. If we're careful enough we should have handled it better collectively kill the matter quickly. We are probably going battle with dousing the smoke of this issue that will last another few more long years

God bless you for this! You sincerely took the words right from my thoughts.

BuddahMonk:
You have sold all yyour lands to the extent you have nowhere to organize social functions without blocking the expressways, now indigenes that came bought everything and build massive abodes only for you to come back and start bleating like deranged goats.

Lagos is a no man's land, if oil in ND is no regions oil why shouldn't Lagos that Nigerian build be all Nigeria comers affairs.
Why don't you ask for a separate government or regional structure so that Lagos will be fully your and your share the proceeds and benefits from your cup-in-hand beggarly mud caves.

If you guys build Lagos why won't you replicate another lagos in your mud apparitions.

Lagos is a no man's land, when you sell your ancestral lands to strangers where you bury your dead ones are your lands.

"Lagos is no man's land if ND oil is no region's oil." Could you please tell me the differences or similitaries between Lagos and the ND oil? You mean to tell me that Lagos, like oil, is a natural resource? I sincerely marvel at your sheer display of stupidityy.