YORUBA RONU

By

Akin Agunbiade

Economically, the Yorubas are in the forefront in commerce and industries as well as in agriculture. Before the advent of oil doom (sorry oil boom). Our cocoa, coffee and palm-oil stood as the main sources of revenue for the nation by then. Today, the Yorubas are nowhere as far as economics viability is concerned, if oil’s money is removed. Despite all government revenue allocation in the past on agriculture, farmers in Yoruba-land least benefited year-in year-out from those allocations. Though the illegal military involvement in our political life, carefully planned by colonial master to favour certain section, contributed to our predicament. As of today the level of poverty in the rural area is alarming most especially in Yorubaland.  

http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/warticles/yoruba_ronu.htm

http://allafrica.com/stories/201106221185.html

Asobie Explains Poverty in Yorubaland

Emerging trend of social almajiri in Yorubaland
By Hakeem Jamiu

There is a social malaise which is gradually creeping into the lexicon of Yorubaland and this is the ugly spectre of hungry children begging for food and alms at social events. Older women are equally not left out in this ugly but strange practice in Yorubaland. It is strange in Yorubaland because the concept of almajiri which simply means street urchin is common in the Northern part of the country. Yorubas use to refer derisively to anybody soliciting for arms in Yorubaland in the olden days as almajiri. The almajiri of the North are usually children between the age bracket of 7 and 20 in most cases. Almajiris are so desperate for food that any unsuspecting visitor to the Northern part of the country who goes to a restaurant to eat but mistakenly left his food to wash his hands is likely to lose such to waiting almajiris before he comes back for the food.


I first noticed this ugly trend at a ceremony I attended a few months ago at Ayetoro Ekiti. Elderly and middle aged able bodied women from Kwara, Osun and Oyo states invaded the burial ceremony uninvited and were embarrassing guests who refused to give them money. Also noticeable were children with their begging bowls who thronged the venue of the ceremony soliciting for left over food and alms. The children were a pitiable sight. Poverty was clearly written on their faces. I have attended many social functions after that and the same trend was noticeable. But I became worried a few days ago, when I attended the burial ceremony of a friend's father in Ilesha , Osun State . They came in various groups and employ different methods in soliciting for alms. There were the elderly women who were busy harassing guests in the name of praise singing and would not leave until you part with money, there were the men with their public address system which they use in praise singing but which is disturbance and yet, there were Yoruba children in the mould of almajiris with their begging bowls scrambling for left-over and at the same time soliciting for alms.


Fellow guests on my table at the event who were also journalists expressed their concern in unison about the growing trend of almajiri of various categories in Yorubaland. They all agreed that it has become a social problem. We started discussing and realised that the culture of begging in the mould of almajiris is alien to Yoruba culture. In those days before the advent of the British, the Yorubas are a proud people known for their hard work and industry. They practiced hoe agriculture and were well known as traders and for their crafts. Yoruba artists have produced masterpieces of woodcarving and bronze casting, some of which date from as early as the 13th century. Many of Nigeria 's best-known artists and writers are Yoruba. Other occupation of the Yorubas at that time were drumming and masquerading which would now be called showbiz. They engage in all the foregoing occupation but a Yoruba man or woman (able bodied) would not beg for alms as it is considered shameful and something akin to a curse. The Yorubas cherish their oriki (folklore) which is a poetic version of eulogizing the exploits of their progenitors which is an incentive for them to excel and even surpass their progenitors. The Yorubas have harsh words for lazy people. Such people are objects of ridicule and butt of jokes in the society. With this background, it is understandable why we became worried with the array of beggars at the Ilesha ceremony.


After leaving the party, I reflected on the scenario of the almajiris in Ilesha and I was able to draw a relationship between Political almajiris and social almajiris. I discovered that social almajiri had its root in the advent of the politics of do -or-die introduced into the political lexicon of Yorubaland by apostles of mainstream politics especially ex-President Obasanjo. The grand Patron of political almajiris who recently passed away was Chief Lamidi Adedibu. Many have argued that his death has led to the proliferation of almajiris in Yorubaland. This is because those he hitherto dole handouts to must look for other means of survival since he is no more. These political almajiris are ready to exchange their mothers for few coins. A new political class of men without integrity and anything goes was created and they became political almajiris who survive on crumbs from their masters. They would rig, kill, maim and do all sort of things to acquire political power. With the ascension of these men in power, good governance became a thing of the past. Our collective patrimony was squandered by these political almajiris. Nigeria has never been so blessed with petro dollar with oil selling for $156 dollars per barrel but Nigeria has never been so poor with a chunk of the population living below poverty line. So versions of the political almajiris are the social almajiris that now invade ceremonies in Yorubaland. With these children begging for alms, a ready made market for thuggery and other social vices is assured. The activities of the beggars are not limited to parties. At bus stops in our cities, it is a common sight to see women most of who are still in their mid thirties, who would strap a baby at their backs and approach men with stories of despair to solicit for alms. Many of them would end up in bed with such men. This is another brand of alamajiri and these are Yoruba women. A violent version of almajiri but which is gradually being tackled in Lagos is the 'Area Boys' syndrome. These are Yoruba street urchins who are semi- armed robbers.


The underlying factor in this new trend is failure of the Nigerian State on one part and the laziness on the part of these women. Most of them don't want to work, In those days, when everybody's occupation was farming you dare not beg. You must find something to do. But these days, our women and children are too lazy. It is either they steal or beg. In most cases a mother and child become almajiris at social events. So the question now is can a Yoruba man now refer derisively to a Hausa beggar as almajiri when we have many of them now in Yorubaland? The answer is no! This trend must be arrested before it goes out of hand. The almajiris in the North these days engage in novel forms of drug abuse like sniffing of gutter water to get intoxicated, sniffing of adhesives and other drugs so that they are ever ready to unleash terror on the rest of the society whenever they are called upon to do so by the political wing of almajiris. I strongly recommend that guests at public functions must stop encouraging almajiris by giving them money.


But can government which itself owns the political wing of almajiris arrest this trend? Time will tell.

THAT ANYONE WILL REFER TO ME AS ALOY EMEKA SHOWS HOW INTELLIGENT THAT PERSON IS
I HAVE ALREADY GIVEN UP ON THAT GRASS-CHEWING COW CALLED ALJ HAREM. HIS IGNORANCE IS RIDICULOUS.

nolongTing:

[size=18pt]You have moved from "Dirtiness" to "poverty reduction", to "Suicide" - How low can you go? [/size]

                 


 

Google suicide in Nigeria and see the reasons given then correlate the names of those involved.

nolongTing:

Where are your figures?
How many jobs do Igbo people generate in Lagos?
How much do they pay in taxes?
If Igbo people are so enterprising why are they not trading in the SE?

Who says they are not trading in the SE, when the biggest markets in West Africa are in the SE. ARE YOU REAL??
Go and ask Lagos tax agents how much they collect in taxes from Igbo traders and business men.

Obiagu1:

@ nolongTing

This is where you got it all wrong. The wealth of someone like Adenuga can be spread out in the SE to about 1,000 to 10,000 guys and all in a position to build edifying houses. Does that say something to you?

Until you understand this, a big city like Ibadan will keep looking like a huge slum.

No mind the olodo. Simple explanation hard am to understand.

nolongTing:



Did you take populations into account? For example Oyo has a population of 5,591,589 whilst Imo has a population of 3,934,899, hence the population of Imo is roughly HALF that of Oyo state; this means a much more difficult task of ensuring their citizens welfare.  It will also make town planning much more difficult, especially in terms of costs.  

Dis you take into account that other nigerian citizens migrate to the SW and inflate their populations? You are a classic example of such a parasite, you migrated to the SW from the SE, enjoyed FREE education, took the jobs and then have the audacity to be disrespectful - you are a joke.  

How populated is Ekiti, Ondo, Osun, yet there are poorer people there than in Igbo states? Why use Oyo the one with high population?
Igbos and other Nigerians in Lagos actually helped to beef up Yoruba wealth. If those people move their investments back home, Lagos GDP will fall to a large extent.
FYI, I did not study in Yorubaland (never will). As a young man just completed the NYSC, I worked there but not out of my own volition because I was transferred there and  from day one, I was already plotting how to leave. I left when I got the slightest opportunity. Okay. SW got no dime to offer me and that is the truth. And, stop parading GDP PPP; it does not tell the true story.

In Yorubaland, you find people even committing suicide due to poverty. Not so in the East.

^^^

Economic strength of a zone does not directly translate to poverty reduction for that zone. The wealth is there in few hands while majority are poor. That is not the case in Igboland. Got the gist?

All the money in Oyo (SW, I mean) are held up by 10-1000 people, leaving five million others impoverished. In the SE there is no super rich to so dominate the rest, hence less poverty overall. That is the difference I am making here and which most statistics support. GDP PPP is a not a true measure of poverty because it just divides the wealth by the population, not taking into account the real holders of the wealth. Its is a fake strategy to make the poor happy.

You can take a trip to the east and experience in actual terms lowered poverty compared to the west, where you still find a lot of thatched/mud houses in rural communities

Nolongthing:

What does GDP PPP tell you? It only says there is more money (wealth) in one zone than the other, it does not say how the money is spread in actual terms.

In contrast to lower poverty that I am talking about: In SW there is hardly a meeting point between the rich and poor. The rich is so rich and the poor is so poor. In SE the wealth is more spread, hence poverty is less. Note that Lagos is not representative of SW, take into account the SE N, and SS people that form part of the millions of people there.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-371485.0.html
http://www.sarpn.org/documents/d0002273/Human_Capital_Nigeria_Oct2005.pdf

Why I Love Owerri Women, By Heartland's Dutch Coach

Beaf:

At this rate, if there is war, it will be fought and settled in the core-North.

That is the idea, my dear Beaf. They will start the fight and [b]we [/b]will come in to assist where/if necessary.

America is indeed the land of freedom. Can he say this in China, or even Nigeria his own country?

hercules07:

Peace in Akwa Ibom? When the governor is the commander in chief of kidnappers, ol boy, I know Akwa Ibom like mad, just try and go against Akpabio, your wife or sisters will be kidnapped instata. Fashola's efforts speak for him. If you want Aregbe's achievements, just look for a thread where people have replied Beaf on Osun state (employment generation for one), let us not talk about Ebonyi, hope you remember the communal clash in that state that killed so many people (the press just did not report it fully). As per peace in Cross River, the place has always been peaceful so it is not a new thing, just mention one thing Imoke has done, I gave props to Gombe that is a PDP state, but, all those you mentioned have not done anything jare.

How much peace is in Osun?

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/04/i5-injured-in-acn-pdp-clash-in-osun/

http://www.gbooza.com/group/nigeriapolitics/forum/topics/pdp-acn-supporters-clash-in#axzz1Zr2o9HDR
http://nigeriavillagesquare.com/forum/lounge/49291-kidnapping-spreads-osun-state.html
http://allafrica.com/stories/201109070342.html

Can anyone talk ill about Aregbesola and even Tinubu (not on cyberspace) and go free?

hercules07:

My Iyawo is an Ekiti woman, met her in Owerri when she was serving there, in the absence of statistics, I will say they are both poor.

They are both poor but one is surely poorer and both are better than the North. And, there is ample statistics even here on NL, some even here on this thread. Read my response to Obiagu with a link. We can start from there and then I will provide more reference.

hercules07:

SE

Do not go there o, the two regions are poor, I have travelled round the SE and there is nothing to show for that region apart from the capital city, I have been to Okija, Iheala, all those villages between Umuahia and Ikot Ekpene, Aba, that town where you have Caritas University, Uturu and seen the villages along the road from Owerri to Aba, have stopped in some of those villages off Aba - Okigwe road, infact Okigwe that is quite popular is disappointing, I have gone to Owerri from Umuahia, gone to Owerri from Okigwe, those villagers I saw were poor o. Onitsha is one messed up city, travelled from Enugu to 9th Mile, been from Onitsha to Enugu, bros bone that thing, the two regions house poor people.

Both are poor, no doubt, but which is poorer? One must be poorer than the other. What do you see in Igbo villages compared to Yoruba ones?
Nigerian is poverty personified.

Your iyawo an Igbo woman so you want to play the type of safe political games that Obama plays. I understand.

hercules07:

First of all remove Ebonyi from the list of performing governors, that one is a big lie, Akwa Ibom governor is just a noise maker, the guy is just spending money without a co-ordinated plan, the guy who performed was Victor Attah (Greed killed him sha), Liyel Imoke is just a cheap thief, we know what he did as power minister, Sule Lamido ko, Sule Lamidi ni, the only other person that did anything of note was the former Gombe governor, at least I saw what he did with my two eyes.
The ACN is filled with competent people, the leaders in their wisdom have decided on selection rather than election, the SW people are okay with that selection, if other parties can get better candidates let them bring it out, we are okay with it, SW people do not concern themselves with how other parties choose their candidates, as long as the guys do well, then no wahala, if Ikuforiji is found to have stolen, he should be sent to jail and someone put in his place, I am not one to defend a convicted thief.
The fact that there is peace in the state and people's will prevailed is a great relief to the people of Osun state, Ogun state, I have not followed closely so I have no comments on him, but, his plans seem good, lets wait and see.
Can SE also compare revenue between Cross River governor and either Osun or Ogun state?

I see how you attempt to rubbish the PDP governors. How did all of those Govs not perform? Care to share with us? I know anybody can say anything, likewise I can also say Fasola is a big noise marker using the Lagos press to extol himself. We have seen how corrupt he is giving state money to Tinubu. The revenue difference between Cross River (CR) and Ogun is to Ogun's favor. CR is no more an oil-producing state, remember? So the achievement in Osun is peace. Can you also say the peace in Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Ebonyi are achievements?

hercules07:

So Obiagu has gone over Lagos to determine that only SEastern landlords build multi-storey buildings, why not just come out and say you hate Yorubas, at least we will know, do you think people building deckings like they do in Onitsha is a sign of prosperity? Ibadan has a lot of poor people no doubt, but, there are nice areas in the city as well, I have travelled all over the SE and I will not allow you to make me denigrate the city where I met my wife (Owerri for your information).
The people of Ibadan are not dependent on the government, they are hard working people who have taken their destinies into their hands, Ibadan is not known as a civil service state, hope you are aware that the city has many industries (Nigerian Breweries and BAT to mention a few).

I know there are tons of data to support Obiagu, but based on your own anecdotal experience, can you say, without sentiments, where poverty is more rife between SE and SW?

In addition to^^^^^
Note that the Govs of Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Cross Rivers, Enugu, and even Ebonyi are performing. They are all PDP.
Sule Lamido of Jigawa is also performing. Simply tells you PDP is not the issue but the individual.

hercules07:

Adams Oshiomole is also performing, infact, the only ACN governor I am not too sure of is my governor in Oyo state (hopefully he performs), ACN does not take on PDP on how it chooses its candidate, normally ACN responds to unguarded statements by the PDP (ruling forever, do or die affair etc). I fail to see how a SEasterner will ever defend the PDP (Abia, Ebonyi, Anambra Saga), only Chime has come from a party that controls a good number of states. Fashola was Tinubu's magic, if you are not aware Tinubu imposed Fashola on the ACN, he challenged them to do the primaries as many times as they wanted, Fashola will still emerge.
South-East, it has been over a year that Jonathan took over, what has he achieved (he has over 50% of Nigeria's money under his control).

I do not get it. Are you saying that you cannot get competent hands while following basic democratic tenets such as allowing the people make the choice of who leads them-- the USA which we copy and where Dayo Kanu lives in, does it. So now who is to blame for what Ikuforiji turned out to be? Assuming ACN becomes the leading party (God Forbid), they will similarly impose the president of Nigeria on the people, yes?

Do you mind telling me what the Osun and Ogun state Govs have achieved? I mean concrete achievements and not to-do list we see flying all over cyberspace. Note I am not a supporter of PDP or of any party, I support individuals. In fact, I wish, like the USA, to have an independent political group in which the ruling party and the opposition will always need to fall back on to get their decisive votes.

hercules07:

@South East

I will ask for my 100 dollars oooooooooooooo, ACN as a party does not do internal democracy, they impose, the reasons are simple if they do primaries, enough PDP people can defect to overwhelm the founding fathers, they are just being careful;  and as long as they continue to throw up good leaders, the SW peeps will not be too concerned.
PDP with its internal democracy is far worse than the ACN.

You mean good people like the Lagos Speaker Ikuforiji? Abi? You will agree with me that Fasola was a child of [b]serendipity [/b]and not an ACN magic. Otherwise show me another good ACN leader. It's been 100 days now since they took office. What has Amosun and the rest of the new ACN goons achieved? Chime of Enugu is achieving but he is not ACN. When Ngige achieved in Anambra, he was not of ACN. If ACN is not democratic on its own, I see no reason why they cry foul when PDP plays such games too.

kizito96:

Cosmas Onyeneke is the Ise of Mbaise. he has been a rogue all his life. He became the royal father by killing a lot of people. No body in Mbaise and Imo state is surprised that his name came up in the Kidnapping case. He was once a highway robber

Wow!! What a ''royal father''. I hope he was also paraded in public. What is the significance of a suspension? He should be sacked from his stool, paraded naked, prosecuted and then shot, having (as you said) killed people to ascend the throne.

hannie:

@Dayo

u get time to dey answer these misogynists that would rather want to see Yorubaland under siege of fire and brimstone . . .

as bad as imposition is, going to primaries where wielding of cudgels, knives and guns just because of elective posts was the order of the day is no longer acceptable practice to PROGRESSIVE YORUBAS . . .anyone that is not happy can switch nationality/allegiance/tribe OR EVEN FORM HIS OWN PERSONAL POLITICAL PARTY 

Clap for yourself. With folks like you around, Hitler must be a saint

Demuren is an old war horse. He has survived many Nigerian aviation tsunamis.

Great. There are many rogue soldiers in the Nigerian army that needs weeded out

~Bluetooth:

Thank you o.I hope south east can learn from bakare !

What is there to learn from Bakare who could not win an election and failing to do so, instigated Nigerians against one another? Are you okay?

Abagworo:

The truth remains that Abians are the epitome of Pastor Bakares legendary quote."Abians are idiots ruled by a fool" who they sheepishly accepted inspite of the fact that he was the worst ever person to be a Governor in the history of Nigeria.

So you believe Abians voted for Orji enough to make him win the election?

They say they are looking for competent hands:

How competent was Tinubu's wife when she was imposed? And since being imposed, what competence has she shown. Should competence not have a history? These ACN guys and their tricks.

Why ACN imposes candidates – Akande
News Jan 20, 2011

By GBENGA OLARINOYE

OSHOGBO— NATIONAL Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Chief Bisi Akande, has justified the imposition of candidates by party elders saying it was the culture of the party that the leadership knew best.

Akande who spoke in an interview with newsmen also defended the choice of erstwhile Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC as the party’s presidential candidate. He said that with the choice of Ribadu, the party has commenced the process of turning over leadership to the youths.

The ACN chairman who spoke to newsmen as part of events marking his birthday  noted: “The British democracy is the oldest in the world and you cannot see political parties there conducting primary elections before choosing their candidates. They do it by picking competent hands that are trustworthy in the judgment of the party. So, we believe that elections under a democratic setting is when we are contesting with other political party during polls.

“If election within our party is what you are trying to describe as internal democracy, then we reject such idea. Can we impose when we are contesting against PDP?
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/01/why-acn-imposes-candidates-akande/

dayokanu:

The ACN has stated categorically that they dont do internal democracy.

Anyone that wants internal democracy should check another party.

Moslem dont eat pork, ANyone who wants to eat Pork can check anywhere but a Moslem restaurant

SIMPLE SHIKENA!!!!

They do not do internal democracy?? If you cannot practice what you preach, why preach it to others? What again is the definition of democracy? Why not practice gerontocracy considering that all ACN leaders are old?

Anybody has new data on poverty levels in Nigeria? Has anything changed since the last few years?