₦airaland Forum

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.

Sanchez01:
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.

MsNas:
Thankfully, this whole scenario has made me realize one thing.... I am Yoruba before being Nigerian. These people do not mean well for me, cos trust me, its not only the ones who live in Lagos that deem it a No Man's Land, the ones in America do too. Afi bi eni pe won shepe Eko fun won ni. Awon Olori pelebe, baseje Obi tin so leerun!

biafranqueen:
Just two Igbo states with home made weapons fought Nigeria,America and the Uk [b]for almost 5 years [/b]and you people have mouth to brag that you are winners because you starved innocent children and women? Shameless as usually BTW where is your Fathers compound in Lagos?

mapet:
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.

NeuroBoss:
Since the Oba of Lagos uttered his controversial Lagoon jibe, Lagos has come under a certain attack. It is the foray called, “No Man’s Land.” By that the settlers say Lagos is Nigeria’s city and no ethnic group should lay claim to it as their own.
The position came into play in the just-concluded governor election. It also reared its insular head in the aftermath of the National Assembly and presidential polls in which non-indigenes scooped a haul of seats by besting indigenes.
This sort of attitude is not only arrogant, but. also inherently disrespectful. 
No one settles in a place and displays a proprietary disdain because the indigenes open their hearts and minds and money to them.
The point often made is that Lagos was Nigeria’s capital city, and because of that it soared into a special status in the country. On that score, they argue, the indigenes have lost the right to claim it. It is now Nigeria’s Jerusalem where every tribe and tongue and worshipper has as much right as the other.
This sort of thinking is defective on a number of points. One, it is historical revisionism. That Lagos was a capital city did not happen out of a whim. Where were the other ethnic groups when the indigenes fought wars, built the city, and turned it from a near wilderness into the mustard seed of city? Did they know when Kosoko and Akintoye duelled for the throne? In the colonial era, Lagos was not the only city they treasured. Others included Calabar, Port Harcourt, Lokoja, et al. The reason Lagos transcended others is rooted in the indigenous population’s attitudes to others, their cultural liberalism and economic expansiveness. The colonial authority focused on it, and developed it because it opened itself to such fertility of progress.
Lagos also allowed itself to flower during the fury days of nationalism, breeding names like Azikiwe, Ojike, Mbadiwe, Awolowo, Adelabu, etc. In fact, the dominant party was NCNC, and it was an umbrella for all tribes. The non-Yoruba politicians learned Yoruba, and that itself was homage to the indigenes. How do you learn the language of the indigenes and say it is no man’s land. Zik was fluent in Yoruba, and it helped him ascended the roof in the high noon of Nigerian nationalism. Lagos was not the only port city, and was it the only city that persons surged to make a new beginning? But Lagos exceeded others because of its indigenous people’s open arms.
What happened in the past few weeks with the Igbo against the Yoruba was unfortunate because both ethnic groups have lived together in Lagos for a generation without much rancour. In fact, many of the Igbo have resided in Lagos without a sense of alienation as the indigenes have given them free rein in commerce and culture.
But it was the last election that triggered this, and it was the shadow of President Goodluck Jonathan that we should blame. He came to town to incite the non-indigenes, including those in the Niger Delta, against the APC. By implication, he characterised the APC as a Yoruba and Hausa party. He even held meetings with them without decency and in one of such outings he said INEC was discriminating against them in the distribution of PVCs. Those who are quick to call him a statesman should note this.
Jimi Agbaje, the PDP governorship candidate, fuelled this by ratcheting up the emotions of the Igbo against the ruling party in the state. This ethnic card led to the vote pattern in the presidential poll. Southsouth and Southeast people decided to vote against the ruling party based essentially on ethnic as well as religious grounds. The factor of faith ossified the revulsion against the APC. Even though the APC prevailed, the pattern revealed ominous fault lines of faith and tribe.
The concept of no man’s land is a prostitution of the constitution that allows residency in Nigeria, and therefore allows any person of whatever tribe to contest elections anywhere as long as they are constitutionally accepted as residents. It is prostitution because few adhere although all should. If Lagos accepts and acts it, it is expected to be respected by all. But as far as I know, it is rare to see what happens in Lagos anywhere else in the country.
It is this lack of hostility to strangers that has now been taken to mean acquiescence. Only Lagos has grown to accept the spirit of residency requirement for election. Other parts of the country accept it, but only philosophically.
But before Jonathan, the indigenes have not openly challenged Lagos as Yoruba land. The last time it significantly caused rumpus was in the 1950’s when Zik wanted a Yoruba man, Prince Adedoyin, to step down from the legislative seat for him. He refused and Zik went to his father, and his father, an Oba, shunned him. Zik had earlier boasted about the role of the Igbo as the tribe of destiny in Africa, and that led to ethnic self-awareness among the Yoruba who had naively believed that the Igbo elite were playing politics without tribal fidelity.
The Yoruba, especially with the Ibadan People’s Party, scuttled Zik who was on his way to become the first premier of the Western Region. Zik cried foul, and lobbed a charge of tribal politics against the indigenes. He did not especially help himself when Eyo Ita, a minority in the East, was denied the chance to be premier of the East.
The Yoruba self-awareness in stopping Zik reflects Shakespeare’s words in Hamlet: “Beware of entrance into a quarrel; but being in, bear it that the opposed should beware of thee.” That self-awareness is palpable today in Lagos.
The bad blood in the past few weeks contradicts the feeling of mutual peace both ethnic groups have had for over a generation. Even during the civil war, the Yoruba did not only keep Igbo property, but kept their rents. It is unfortunate that it took the serpentine zeal of a Jonathan to rake up suppressed bad blood. It is the same Jonathan that did not fulfill any major promise to the Igbo and who only fattened its opportunistic elite with juicy contracts and appointments. In Lagos, all ethnic groups have enjoyed dividends of good government. It’s not perfect, but Lagos has remained the state of example.
The United States has always called itself a melting pot, and that means all who come from outside should not impose their will, but be part of the society. That is in contrast to Canada known as a mosaic. In a mosaic, outsiders maintain their full will but outside the mainstream.
The poet Walt Whitman noted this about America. “I am large/I contain multitudes.”
But we have to go back to healing now, and learn to live together. No group needs to be punished for how it voted. It is part of the beauty of democracy. But it means we should learn to understand that diversity calls for the acceptance of the other side in a bid to build a society not hampered by clannish virtues but riding on the wings of merit.

omazus:
This is double speak bro. And after watching Oba's speech by yourself, do you still agree with Utomi that Oba was joking. For the benefit of doubt, if he was actually joking, he must go back to the basics and learn communication s

You also missed it on the Igbo not learning Yoruba culture. A lot of Igbo I know speak yoruba language fluently, eat yoruba food, attend yoruba ceremony in Lagos. And this does not tell you that they are trying their best to learn the culture. Abeit, culture was not the issue in this case. The issue was an attempt to force a people to vote a political party and threaten them by death by someone who by his position should have been apolitical. And by the way, don't you think that Lagos is a pluralistic society, no offence intended. If it is not we shall start immediately by forcing all Chinese, Indians, etc to learn Yoruba culture and worship the Gods of the three religions (Christianity, ATR, Islam). But in seeking that Igbo alone should learn your culture while others retain theirs, in a situation where more Igbos speak Yoruba, marry Yoruba despite strong objections from Yoruba parents, the promoters show a serious obsession with Igbo.

You miss it here again when you say we do not permit a contrary voice. If you know what Igbo republicanism means you will see a people who thrive in allowing another voice to be aired. And I think our exhibition of this is what you often regard as our arrogance. We are not arrogance but we believe in our right to speak after you have spoken. We also extend the same right to you to speak after we have spoken. If you remember Awolowo's position on the war and Obasanjo's own which his fellow veteran has dismissed as packs of lies by the way, had been in the open for years and no IGBO person abused them, once Achebe's own came up, he was shouted down. Methinks, there is a conscious effort to silence a certain voice, the Igbo voice. And it pains.

Chiaka:
Good so Please give everyone equal chance like you gave Tinubu who came all the way from Osun state to control ndigenes of Lagos

MsNas:
Can you substantiate your claims with evidence? No? Then it's none of your business wherever Tinubu came from. He's Yoruba isn't it? Then Lagosians do not mind. What they have a problem with is you "at'oko wá ba'léjés" demanding what's not yours in the first place.

You will never find a Yoruba person, even if they were born and bred in Lagos claim to be Lagosian (even of their mom was from Lagos), cos we all know where we came from and we do not covert what's not ours. It's only your people who are too greedy that they keep coverting what's not yours while your ancestral homes falls into derelict. Èmi ò ní f'owó òsì juwe ilé bàbá mi. Be proud of what you are and stop dragging what's not.

Thankfully, Yorubas are aware now and we know not to treat you guys with kids gloves any longer.

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.

Chiaka:
Good so Please give everyone equal chance like you gave Tinubu who came all the way from Osun state to control indigenes of Lagos

Super1Star:
Who are the everybody?

How are we related to Igbos?

Is Lagos not part of land bequeathed to our generations by our ancestors? Are all yoruba ancestors not from Oduduwa? Is Tinubu not a descendant of Oduduwa? Being a descendant of Oduduwa, Tinubu has a right on any yorubaland, likewise myself?

Do any foreigner has any right on a grain of soil of yorubaland, Capital No.

Copy that greedy and covetous omo y1bo.

What is this mengistu even saying? E ma gbo oro ode ti eleyii n so. Awon omo ti won leko.

Super1Star:
Who are the everybody?

How are we related to Igbos?

Is Lagos not part of land bequeathed to our generations by our ancestors? Are all yoruba ancestors not from Oduduwa? Is Tinubu not a descendant of Oduduwa? Being a descendant of Oduduwa, Tinubu has a right on any yorubaland, likewise myself?

Do any foreigner has any right on a grain of soil of yorubaland, Capital No.

Copy that greedy and covetous omo y1bo.

What is this mengistu even saying? E ma gbo oro ode ti eleyii n so. Awon omo ti won leko.

Chiaka:
Tribal bigot. pity your life. I don't stay in Lagos u hear. and my best friend here is a Yoruba. You cant make me hate her nonsense. Yam head!

Chiaka:
Jealousy Stinks!!

Chiaka:
Am talking from a general point. I don't live in Lagos ok.

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.

biafranqueen:
Just two Igbo states with home made weapons fought Nigeria,America and the Uk for almost 5 years and you people have mouth to brag that you are winners because you starved innocent children and women? Shameless as usually BTW where is your Fathers compound in Lagos?

Super1Star:
Who cares where you live?

You can be living in timbuktu or kandahar or kalamazoo or hell, for all I care.

Super1Star:
Greediness and covetousness are next to the sin of witchcraft.

MsNas:
You are pathetic! Yam head? Where do Nigerians get these silly acronyms from? Get an education and tell your people to stop rubbing their hosts the wrong way. FYI: My "best friends" here are also Igbos, but that doesn't stop them from calling me Ofe Mmanu, N.gbati, Hausa Slave or Saboteur. Wake up and smell the coffee!!

Super1Star:
Who are the everybody?

How are we related to Igbos?

Is Lagos not part of land bequeathed to our generations by our ancestors? Are all yoruba ancestors not from Oduduwa? Is Tinubu not a descendant of Oduduwa? Being a descendant of Oduduwa, Tinubu has a right on any yorubaland, likewise myself?

Do any foreigner has any right on a grain of soil of yorubaland, Capital No.

Copy that greedy and covetous omo y1bo.

What is this mengistu even saying? E ma gbo oro ode ti eleyii n so. Awon omo ti won leko.

MsNas:
Can you substantiate your claims with evidence? No? Then it's none of your business wherever Tinubu came from. He's Yoruba isn't it? Then Lagosians do not mind. What they have a problem with is you "at'oko wá ba'léjés" demanding what's not yours in the first place.

You will never find a Yoruba person, even if they were born and bred in Lagos claim to be Lagosian (even of their mom was from Lagos), cos we all know where we came from and we do not covert what's not ours. It's only your people who are too greedy that they keep coverting what's not yours while your ancestral homes falls into derelict. Èmi ò ní f'owó òsì juwe ilé bàbá mi. Be proud of what you are and stop dragging what's not.

Thankfully, Yorubas are aware now and we know not to treat you guys with kids gloves any longer.

Chiaka:
You misquoted the bible yam head!

The bible says wickedness is same as witchcraft. You sound a wicked person. jealous tribal bigot! Back to sender from all angles and circumference IJN