By Adisa Adeleye
OF late the political survival of the children of that mythical man called ODUDUWA has been in focus.  President Jonathan, perhaps in one of his unguarded moments, started it by advising (according to me) the South_Westerners to guide against their zone from falling into the hands of political ‘rascals‘.

When I described politicians as ‘rascals‘ in my article some weeks ago in this column, I did not envisage its careless usage in all respects.

It is true that the South_West zone could be regarded as enlightened and sophisticated and that it is an area very vital to the attainment of political and economic survival of the country.  The citizens should be proud and serious.

The political sophistication of the Yoruba race is embedded in their rich culture nurtured by early and progressive education.  Thanks to the efforts of those political leaders in the 1920s and the 1940s.

The era of political sophistication which was at its height in Lagos after amalgamation in 1914 was the triumph of principle over anything else.  The Nigerian National Democratic Party of Dr. C. C. Adeniyi_Jones and Herbert Macaulay, though Lagos based was Nigerian in vision and outlook. These men of yore laid emphasis on strong party structure and campaigns based on issues, like reduction of taxes, etc.

The Nigerian Youth Movement, the capable opposition to the NNDP of Herbert Macaulay, and led by Dr Vaughan, Dr Akinola Maja and Dr. Abayomi, had a wider Nigerian vision, far away from the Lagos local environment.  The NYM of the 1930s had among its membership the budding politicians of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s – Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief H. O. Davies, Chief S. L. Akintola and other distinguished ones‘.

The evil forces of tribalism and its twin brother, ethnicity has no root in the politics of the 1920s and 1930s.  Issues were clearly fought and the voters were clearly guided on what was at stake.  It is to their eternal credit that the concept of ‘POLITICAL PRINCIPLE‘ became the accepted concept in civilized environments.

A classical example that is often quoted is the case of Ernest Ikoli and Samuel Akinsanya.  Ikoli was an Ijaw (like President Jonathan), while Akinsanya (later Odemo of Ishara) was Ijebu.  The Executive Committee (dominated by the Yorubas) supported Ikoli, while the bulk of the party supported Akinsanya, for the vacant legislative seat.  The party organ was used to ensure Ikoli‘s victory.

At the elections primaries, Dr Azikiwe, an Ibo voted for Akinsanya, an Ijebu_Yoruba.  The strong argument for Ikoli was that from all indications, he was a better candidate, inspite of home origin.  It could not be imagined today that a Yoruba resident of Bayelsa State would be nominated for any post, even that of a local councilor.

The beauty of politics of the 1930s, 1940s and early 1950s is the triumph of principle over ethnicity and the right of quality of candidate over quantity.  In the 1940s and 1950s, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe represented Lagos constituency in the Legislative houses while late Mbonu Ojike was a former Deputy Mayor of Lagos.  In Enugu, Mallam Altine (Hausa) was once a Mayor.

It is a pity that those virtues of political understanding and practice introduced into political operations of those past decades have not been replicated by modern political operations.  Often, Yoruba leaders are daubed tribalists and enemies of progress.  It is not even clear today whether the ‘sins‘ of Obasanjo could be traceable to personal incompetence or his origin as a Yoruba politician.

The current political problems and the dispersal of the Yoruba politicians into several political units have led to some serious arguments about the future political fortunes of the Yoruba race.  The country, though federal in name, is being run as a Central State, with the Federal Government controlling the highest share (52 per cent) of the federal revenue.  Every month, every state officials queue in Abuja for the ritual booty sharing – a negation of Federal fiscal responsibility.

Last week, under the umbrella of ‘OMOLUABI‘, a Yoruba socio_cultural organization, one of Nigeria’s leading fearless historians Professor Jide Osuntokun gave a lecture on ‘POLITICS IN POST 2011 NIGERIA  _ IS YORUBALAND ENDANGERED ?‘ Like a brilliant historian that he is, Prof Jide Osuntokun gave what is necessary to know about Yoruba historical drama to the present political dispensation.  Although I have discussed similar topics in my book, ‘The Agenda‘ published in 2002, Chapters 1&2 (Historical Elusive Yoruba Unity, The Dilemma of Today – Historical Perspective), I believe that the freshness of Prof Osuntokun‘s thoughts merits consideration.

In my view, the first Yoruba Empire (OYO) failed because of rigidity of the ruler, Alaafin Awole (Aole), the ranging ambition of provincial Chiefs like Afonja and lack of clear objectives by the leaders of the community as exhibited by OYOMESI (Alaafin‘s Council).  The second Yoruba Empire (under Awolowo‘s Action Group) liquidated itself through rigidity or inflexibility of the leader, and lack of clear idea or political ideology.  Of what value is the concept of democratic socialism in a mixed economy where the leaders themselves were small capitalists?

The Action Group leaders proved to be poor students of History.  During the Yoruba Civil wars (described lively by Professor Osuntokun), Professor E. A. Ayandele has noted that, ‘it seemed to missionaries and British secular agents that the Yoruba were possessed by the demonic spirit and were suffering from psychic disorders to the extent that they were incapable of appreciating the external dangers that threaten them as a people‘, at the time.  Awolowo and Akintola fought themselves to finish, oblivious of the consuming flames of NPC and NCNC around.  The rest is now history and the consequences are still with us.

Professor Osuntokun in the freshness of his mind has formulated two issues for Yoruba nationalists (politicians).  These are – Being in the mainstream of Nigerian politics (as propagated by Obasanjo) and return to pure federalism (Awo‘s idea).  Issues would have been easier to examine but for the introduction of ‘Money Politics‘.  Mainstream politics means wealth, power and prestige to the winning participants only and nothing for losers and the people.

The problem of Yoruba politics is the rising generation of leaders who love power and worship money and like their counterparts in other parts of the country, they may succeed for a time in a country devoid of culture of selfless service.
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