Opeyemi Oniya

By Opeyemi Oniya

From their posh anticipatory permutations into the moorings of 2023, the bourgeoisie dare tell the bus stop man not to worry. The fire next door will not burn him, even if it gets to him and his property. The bus stop man wants to believe, but  the fire has been raging, now more ferociously. And he sees no fireman, not even a brigade truck in action trying to bring the raging fire under control. Where are the water canons to dampen the fire from the barrel of the herder? When will this bonfire of human torches end?

The bourgeoisie ask for patience and restraint. Of course! Perhaps, it is not the herdsmen, they reason. But isn’t it the herdsmen’s Mode of Operation? No! It must be jobless marauders and other criminal elements. The bourgeoisie ask for patience and restraint. There is restraint. And, as for patience, what do you tell the bus stop man as to when the fire brigade will come and make sure the fire will not get to him and his house? What do you have to say? That the fire will pass over his household on its way to his neighbour’s courtyard? 

And to those whose loved ones and property the fire has consumed, what do you tell them? That they should look forward to 2023? When do you get to tell “the mother whose son has been killed? That his murderers are in sack clothes and ashes”? That they sent emmissaries of doom with tear tracks running down their cheeks? When? What?  Questions upon questions!

Restraint. Restraint is now the sing song from the ‘elders’ in the neighborhood. The stand by leadership, when the fire started, has now climbed to the top of the Olive mountain to preach the sermon of restraint. Okay, restraint! 

This continued abeyance of collective responsibility, or of collective irresponsibility, of continued ambulation by the Yoruba bourgeoisie in tempering the prospect of 2023 Yoruba presidency is akin to self-immolation. But let us caution those about to watch their populace drown in the ambition waters of 2023. Take care of your people now, and 2023 will take care of itself.  Charity begins at home, and charity should also begin today.

To call out on the Fulani oligarchy is not synonymous with a 2023 miscalculation. To not do so now, is to pretend not to understand the underbelly of Fulani power cumulations. Acquiescence (to the Fulani) is not a viable political strategy. In more than 200 years, it has not worked. Ask Afonja and the people of Ilorin. 

The Yoruba bourgeoisie should stop playing the proverbial ostrich. This ostrich dance should stop now! The primary responsibility of any government is to secure life and property. And this should apply to any politician worthy of being called ‘Leader’. Period!

-Opeyemi Oniya writes from the USA