By Kayode Emola
A few days ago, we witnessed the coronation of the newly appointed Olubadan of Ibadan land, His Royal Highness Oba Rasidi Ladoja, as the 44th Olubadan. During his inauguration, he could be heard asking for the creation of Ibadan State from the president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
It makes me wonder what the kings in Yorubaland do when they are faced with bigger challenges, such as insecurity and starvation in the land. No doubt, Ladoja may not hold any more political office until he goes to where the elders go after their time on earth.
The pressing question that should be on every Yoruba person’s lips now is, Do we need more state creation in Nigeria before development can reach the people? Or is this question from the Olubadan another showman and a means to an end for some new set of political office holders?
With the current invasion of Yorubaland by Fulani terrorists, who have not hidden their agenda for conquest. I believe the many kings in Yoruba land can do much better than just looking for political appointments for their stooges. Yoruba land is under siege with the several killings going on daily. This is not the time to be complacent; hence, what happened to northern Africa and Turkey may one day happen to us. God forbids!
There are over 3,000 kings in Yoruba land, holding that ancestral position that is linked to the ground where they have their domain. The original belief of the Yoruba people is that the kings are representatives of Olodumare (God) and are divine. As such, they should put the needs of their people at heart, and I believe nothing is more serious now than the security of the lives and property of our people.
However, we see clearly now that some of the Yoruba kings have brought disrepute to an agelong institution that should be the pinnacle of our society. Many kings look the other way whilst innocent people are being murdered by terrorists. They justify their silence by using the long-standing mantra that they can’t do anything, whereas they have enormous power and influence on any government of the day.
I believe that it is very disheartening for our kings in Yoruba land to stand on the sidelines whilst our people are being driven out of their communities en masse. Our Yoruba kings have a moral obligation and duty to come together in their thousands to confront the security menace facing the Yoruba people.
This is not the time for them to be diplomatic and watch on whilst their people are being butchered daily. The Yoruba people deserve better, and it would be best if the kings could use any political capital left in their arsenal to bring justice for the Yoruba people.
If our Yoruba kings want to be relevant in this 21st century, they must realise that they need to up their game from showmen to action takers. It can no longer be business as usual when our kings are partying away whilst Yoruba land burns.
Those who are close to them need to tell them that they can either stand up for the Yoruba land and its people now or be ready to become vassals to the Fulani people in not too long a future if the Yoruba land is finally captured by the Fulani warlords. Again, God forbids that this becomes our lot.
