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By Ajos Ajongbolo Oluwagbenga
Growing up was fun. I meant academic fun. Is there anything called "Literary Fun"? Please use that. I read almost everything I laid my hands on. Newspapers, magazines, prose and play and poem. I listened to the news often. On radio and television. You dare NOT watch Bukky Wright wicked roles, Kura Matete incantations, Ogogo Kulodo calmness or some Ronke Oshodi Oke comic plays whenever Kele(my dad) was around. What part of that house would you be by 4pm and 9pm and you wouldn't come over to watch NTA news! You were toying with fire.
I took special interest in these two- novels and local newspapers(Alaroye) in my teenage years. My novels were more of romance. Many silhouette series. Some Harlequin fictions. Countless Nora Roberts. More Diana Palmer. Many Judith York. Few Susan Wigg. I just imagined myself as the lead actor and the rest is history! Though I read some Buchi Emecheta, Chinua Achebe, Kayode Adeyemo(thanks to Akure Metropolitan College), Wole Soyinka, I was more satisfied with the short, romance series. You wonder where and how I got to read all these even without a library in our house? Ask my childhood friends. They know more. Yinka had his grandpa library filled with Law books, encyclopedia, novels. I "moved" many. Niyi, did you evenually see that "Doctor Faustus"? Forgive me Paul, I still wish to buy you another "Ogun Omode"!!
Alaroye(a Yoruba weekly newspaper) was my second love. I still read it date. Looking at the faces of the gladiators in the Nigerian history, especially those of Yoruba origin, was inspiring. That Awolowo rimmed glasses. Those Akintola thick tribal marks. Adelabu Penkelemeesi looks could pass for a novice. You are wrong. Bode Thomas and his suits. FRA Williams and his legal quotes. Adisa Akinloye and his simple looks. Yet, the brain behind Awo and AG. Justice Adetokunbo Ademola. Adekunle Ajasin. Olabisi Onabanjo. I knew all these great Yoruba men before I clocked 15 even though I could not separate or differentiate their political lining. I knew they made great impacts in any position they found themselves. They were cautious and courteous. They never threw their dignity to the dogs for a pot of porridge!
What can we say about our present day Yoruba leaders and elders? What exactly! Leaders that enjoy impunity and recklessness? That prefer mediocres to game changers? Elders that derive joy sowing seed of discord amongst us because of their hatred and disapproval for that old, lanky Fulani man in Aso Villa? That speak with both sides of their mouths? That do NOT bother the effect of their hate speeches? Damn the consequences, they would say?
The recent call by the Afenifere for the withdrawal of the Fulani cattlerearers from the Southwest is worrisome. Heartbreaking. Infact, this is xenophobia! Where were they when farmers, ranchers and the nomads took law into their hands in the early 2000s in Akokoland? I hold no brief for criminals. If found guilty, the law should take its action. I need to remind these Elders that not all tribes are good and at the same time, not all are bad. There are two sides to a coin. Why play politics with almost everything even at the expense of their self-worth, dignity and integrity? When I saw some of their "boys" protest in Akure lastweek on the same issue, I just laughed. #2,000 in their pockets already.
Enough is enough, our elders. Stop bringing disrepute to the strong name our forebearers fought for. Stop ridiculing us. Stop misleading the public. Stop playing to someone's directives. Stop showing your ignorance in public. One even queried PMB for the delay in forming his cabinet. He said he should have submitted the list on May 29th. Imagine! SMH.
Growing up was fun. I meant academic fun. Is there anything called "Literary Fun"? Please use that. I read almost everything I laid my hands on. Newspapers, magazines, prose and play and poem. I listened to the news often. On radio and television. You dare NOT watch Bukky Wright wicked roles, Kura Matete incantations, Ogogo Kulodo calmness or some Ronke Oshodi Oke comic plays whenever Kele(my dad) was around. What part of that house would you be by 4pm and 9pm and you wouldn't come over to watch NTA news! You were toying with fire.
I took special interest in these two- novels and local newspapers(Alaroye) in my teenage years. My novels were more of romance. Many silhouette series. Some Harlequin fictions. Countless Nora Roberts. More Diana Palmer. Many Judith York. Few Susan Wigg. I just imagined myself as the lead actor and the rest is history! Though I read some Buchi Emecheta, Chinua Achebe, Kayode Adeyemo(thanks to Akure Metropolitan College), Wole Soyinka, I was more satisfied with the short, romance series. You wonder where and how I got to read all these even without a library in our house? Ask my childhood friends. They know more. Yinka had his grandpa library filled with Law books, encyclopedia, novels. I "moved" many. Niyi, did you evenually see that "Doctor Faustus"? Forgive me Paul, I still wish to buy you another "Ogun Omode"!!
Alaroye(a Yoruba weekly newspaper) was my second love. I still read it date. Looking at the faces of the gladiators in the Nigerian history, especially those of Yoruba origin, was inspiring. That Awolowo rimmed glasses. Those Akintola thick tribal marks. Adelabu Penkelemeesi looks could pass for a novice. You are wrong. Bode Thomas and his suits. FRA Williams and his legal quotes. Adisa Akinloye and his simple looks. Yet, the brain behind Awo and AG. Justice Adetokunbo Ademola. Adekunle Ajasin. Olabisi Onabanjo. I knew all these great Yoruba men before I clocked 15 even though I could not separate or differentiate their political lining. I knew they made great impacts in any position they found themselves. They were cautious and courteous. They never threw their dignity to the dogs for a pot of porridge!
What can we say about our present day Yoruba leaders and elders? What exactly! Leaders that enjoy impunity and recklessness? That prefer mediocres to game changers? Elders that derive joy sowing seed of discord amongst us because of their hatred and disapproval for that old, lanky Fulani man in Aso Villa? That speak with both sides of their mouths? That do NOT bother the effect of their hate speeches? Damn the consequences, they would say?
The recent call by the Afenifere for the withdrawal of the Fulani cattlerearers from the Southwest is worrisome. Heartbreaking. Infact, this is xenophobia! Where were they when farmers, ranchers and the nomads took law into their hands in the early 2000s in Akokoland? I hold no brief for criminals. If found guilty, the law should take its action. I need to remind these Elders that not all tribes are good and at the same time, not all are bad. There are two sides to a coin. Why play politics with almost everything even at the expense of their self-worth, dignity and integrity? When I saw some of their "boys" protest in Akure lastweek on the same issue, I just laughed. #2,000 in their pockets already.
Enough is enough, our elders. Stop bringing disrepute to the strong name our forebearers fought for. Stop ridiculing us. Stop misleading the public. Stop playing to someone's directives. Stop showing your ignorance in public. One even queried PMB for the delay in forming his cabinet. He said he should have submitted the list on May 29th. Imagine! SMH.
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