By Kayode Emola
Exactly 2-years ago today, one of our very own, Chief (Dr) Sunday Adeyemo’s house was invaded in the dead of the night. Two of his very close friends were brutally murdered and several of his lieutenants were arrested by men of the Nigerian Directorate of Security Service (DSS). It took considerable efforts to secure the release of those arrested but to date, there is still no news about the fallen heroes.
Many people would want us to forget such occurrences and move on with Nigeria because one of us is now the President. May I remind us that the aggressive policies of President Bola Tinubu in a short time in office should teach us that another may come after him who would occupy that position and upturn everything he has done and Yoruba would be back to square one?
I do not write to dissuade our people from giving Asiwaju the support he requires to succeed in office but that our people should know that nothing order than a permanent solution is the only key to our survival as Yoruba people. I have heard many people say personal statements like give me all the money I need so that I can permanently relocate from Nigeria and never return. The truth is, no matter how many billions of dollars or any other hard currency you may possess, there is no place like home.
The suffering and anguish Chief Adeyemo have had to endure in the last 2-years should not be wished on anyone. This is someone who controls multiple businesses and has several fleets of cars to his name, yet has no home to live in or a car to his name in exile in the last 2 years.
However, this true son of Yoruba did not deny his identity. He stayed true to his calling and his confession that on the Yoruba nation’s freedom, he would continue to stand. Do not forget that Chief Adeyemo has many people in high places whom he could have called on for help in these days of affliction. Yet, he chooses to be humble and remain silent, learning that in life and most times, one needs to carry their own cross by themselves.
If anyone would ask me, I would say it is time for the Beninese government to do the needful and let this man continue on his journey to see his family. He needs to move on to be with his wife and children, especially for the sake of these children who are dying to be with their father.
Thank God none of his children were around on that fateful day when this incident occurred and that his wife who was around could not be easily identified and was let go by the DSS on their way to Abuja. It would have added severe pain to the injury being nursed at the moment.
At this juncture, it would be prudent to call on the Nigerian government to do the needful and allow the true son of Yoruba to regain his freedom. It is not just Chief Adeyemo who needs to regain his freedom, but every individual trapped in the contraption called Nigeria needs to regain their freedom from the successive oppressive regime that has become a recurring phenomenon in Nigeria.
The time is ripe now for the Nigerian government to allow true reconciliation and renegotiating of our union among ourselves. It is time for every indigenous nationality in Nigeria to come together for a sovereign national conference. This will allow for true sober reflection and honest discussion on how we want to live our individual and collective life as a country.
Anything short of this would mean that even if the current President reforms Nigeria to be the best nation in the world, all his efforts will come to naught when a tyrant like Buhari comes back to destroy everything.
Therefore, we the Yoruba people must not sit down and relax thinking that our man is now the president. We must continue to fight and ensure that the ultimate goal is achieved which is freedom for everyone living in Nigeria. We must ensure that the pain Chief Adeyemo is currently undergoing is put to an end as quickly as possible.
We must come out en-mass today to celebrate the life of our Yoruba hero, who not only sacrificed his possession but also sacrificed his position of comfort to take on the pain and humiliation brought upon him for the Yoruba people for no fault of his own. I pray that as we do so, may the Almighty God grant him strength to withstand all that has been thrown at him and all that may still be on its way.
