As educated as the Yoruba race claims, upon reflection, we are politically naive, gullible and enemies of ourselves. The internal rivalry amongst the Yorùbás often make them to work against each other. Do you remember the Yorùbá phrase, “kàkà kí eku má jẹ ṣèsé, á fi ṣe àwà dànù ni”. I do not need to interpret this for us. Just a quick at how the late sage, Chief Ọbáfẹ́mi Awólọ́wọ̀ never made it to rule Nigeria, it’s because his fellow Yorùbás betrayed him and preferred to work with Awo’s political rivals. Yes, I disagree with Awo’s political strategy but when your home pulls the rug from under your feet, how far can you go? Let’s flip to 1993, those who were used to divide the Yorùbás during the annulment of the 1993 Elections were foremost Yorùbá people like the late Ọọ̀ni of Ifẹ̀, Aríṣekọ́lá Àlàó, Ọbásanjọ́, Yọ̀mí Davies etc. Their betrayal of their own was a major setback for the Yorùbá people.

Came 2023 Presidential elections, the most vocal oppositions against (now) President Bọ́lá Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR were the Yorùbás like edi. Are we cursed or just stupid, gullible and hateful of our own? The present campaign against this government is from the South West again. It’s obvious that we Yorùbás are confirmed ‘ọlọ̀tẹ̀s’ (conspirators) like never seen before. Can we infer that the different wars the Yorùbás fought amongst themselves like the Kírìjí war has etched a permanent division in our subconscious? Yorùbás were the loudest demarketing President Tinubu before the election. They are also the ones being used to pull his government down. Why is it that when a Yorùbá man is asked to do something for which he has been mobilized, he does not deliver but later join the noise of “things are very bad under this government”?

The planned “hardship protest” is planned to take off on a Yorùbá soil, Ìbàdàn confirming how “useless” we are. We endured Buhari’s 8 years of misrule. No Hausa man took to the streets to run former President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) down nor did any of their Traditional Rulers spoke against him. Today, the once blind, deaf and dumb have received their healings and are now up in arms against an 8-month old government telling us that President Tinubu has failed, he doesn’t know what he’s doing etc. What juju was used on you for 8 years that we all feverishly defended PMB even when we saw all his misrule and nonchalance? If care is not taken, the Yorùbá race will lose this great opportunity to make a difference. We are working very hard to make the government of President Bola Tinubu a 1-term government but God will put you all to shame.

I remember how attention was smartly diverted from Saddiya and the other woman who moved over N42B to Betta Edu. Those who were responsible for where we are today with nepotism and misrule are using my people to pull this government down simply because they are losing what they had come to see as their birth rights. If you have no positive thing to contribute to make things better, I implore you to zip it and spare us the noise. You defended a government for 8 years but tearing down an 8-month old government. Sé wọ́n fi ṣe yín ni?

Let me use this opportunity to thank the individuals and groups who have been holding it together for Mr. President despite the economic downturn and non remuneration for their sweats. You are not being paid by the government to do what you do. I know how we started from the Progressives Clan. Please do not relent. God will remember you all.

• By ‘Báyọ̀ Adédoṣù