By Kayode Emola
There is a belief presently prevailing amongst residents of Nigeria that they can hedge their bets – play it safe and thereby guarantee their future in either scenario: the continuance of the collapsing Nigeria or the emergence of the Yoruba sovereign nation. In reality, those who try to avoid risking anything end up risking everything; there can be no guarantee of success for those that sit down and do nothing.
For this reason, I highly commend our gallant men and women who, this Monday, 9 January 2023, sacrificed their time and risked their lives to boldly stand up to the Nigerian government in civil protest. Whilst people may ask what purpose this protest rally serves, I believe it sent an unignorable message to the central and state government of Nigeria that the Yoruba nationalists are not backing down.
I am devastatingly grieved that we lost one of our own in the course of the protest. I pray that Almighty God will grant eternal rest both to him and to many of our heroes past who have sacrificed their lives for the greater good. Some of them will never grow old and we who are alive must not fail to honour their sacrifice.
We have no means by which we could compile resources on a scale to compete with the politicians who appropriate the wealth of the country for their own private enterprises. However, even with the few resources we have received through goodwill, we have shown that we can create disquiet in the polity.
Some people have asked us to reconsider our strategy, return to the drawing board and start over from the beginning. However, I propose that encountering a small setback is not cause to throw out the entire operation. Human beings naturally are quick to criticise you when obstacles hamper achieving your goal, but readily keep silent when you do succeed. No one ever said the journey to Yoruba nation will be quick and easy; however, it is certain that we will surely reach our final destination. The impediment experienced this last week is not cause to abandon the fight altogether
For those who need some more motivation to fight for their freedom, perhaps a picture of how glorious the Yoruba sovereign nation could be will help inspire them. The Yoruba sovereign nation will be one where everyone will have equal opportunities in life, and crime is a thing of the past.
Modeling of various sectors, including transportation, education, health, and retail among others, has demonstrated the real feasibility of every worker within the Yoruba sovereign nation receiving a monthly wage equivalent to one thousand dollars. This will apply no matter what job s/he may be doing, and would be achievable nationwide within three years of the implementation of a Yoruba sovereign government. This would be a far cry indeed from the pittance our workers currently receive from the Nigerian government.
All retirees would be placed on an adequate living allowance, pending calculation and allocation of an adequate pension. At the moment, the large majority of our retirees are left to survive on their wits alone, with the consequence that many of them die prematurely due to lack of resources. This is a mark of shame for the nation they served faithfully in their youth.
All nursing mothers would be given a minimum of six months maternity leave, adequately paid, to enable them to take care of themselves and their new-born. Childcare would be provided by the Yoruba sovereign government for every child from two years old until they become of primary school age, whereupon education will be made free and compulsory until the completion of secondary school. All of this clearly demonstrates the abundance of opportunities presents and the high number of jobs created in the Yoruba sovereign nation.
However, if we do not get the Yoruba sovereign nation now, we will remain entrenched in the mud forced upon us by Nigeria. This situation is clearly detrimental to all but the political elite. Even those who have previously benefitted from the corruption within the political classes are now beginning to speak out against the trajectory the country is taking. Although many of these are canvassing for remedial action to sustain Nigeria, the truth is that the only path to freedom and quality of life is the complete dissolution of the country. It is incumbent on those of us on the side of Yoruba and other indigenous nationalities to take a stand to get out of Nigeria.
It is becoming increasingly likely that the 2023 election in Nigeria may not take place. Even if it were to go ahead, it may well become the spark that causes this time bomb of a country to explode. Those collecting monies from the politicians during this election season, believing that they are utilising an opportunity to enrich themselves, would do well to realise that they are selling not only their own future for far less than its value but also that of their children and the children after them.
In view of the insecurities pervading throughout the country, and the likelihood of the abortion in this year’s election, we must be on our guard against tactics from the politicians to extend their office. We must not be fooled into accepting any form of an interim government or similar, but rather be ready to exit our country at a moment’s notice.
This is not the time to be timid. It is especially not the time to condemn those who came out for this week’s rally. These people risked it all, gave it all in one case, for the sake of the wider freedom of our kinsmen. Even if the results appear incommensurate with the hard work put in, this does not undermine the work that they did. We can be sure that their remonstrance has generated valuable returns, contributing towards the continuing edging forwards to our final destination.
