From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo.
A Yoruba leader and President, Afonja Descendants’ Union, Ilorin, Kwara State, Alhaji Olola Kasumu, has described as ‘’laughable,
idiotic and mission in futility’’ subterranean moves by the Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, to commit both the Afenifere and Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) leaders to the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election at all costs.
Kasumu also called on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to, as a matter of
urgency, check the excesses of the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose.
Speaking in Ogbomoso, Kasumu said besides the fact that none of the leaders of both the Afenifere and OPC have the credibility of convincing the Yoruba to vote for candidate of their choice in the March 28 election, “they are unpopular kings without subjects’’.
According to him, ‘’it is unfortunate that the so-called leaders of these two groups have lost touch of realities and have descended so
low for a mess of porridge. I am one of the Principal co-founders of the OPC and it is regrettable that the motives behind its formation
had been ashamedly betrayed and derailed as well. Both Fasehun and Gani Adams are now running after pipeline contracts running into
billions of naira. Is that how to fight the cause of Yoruba progress and development? What led to the split of Afenifere into two groups?
Was it not because of greed, self-centredness and betrayal of trust by the likes of Ayo Adebanjo and others that led to the emergence of a new committed and dedicated group called Afenifere Renewal Group?’’
He said the summit organised by the Afenifere and OPC in Ibadan was sponsored by Mimiko purposely to endorse Jonathan, thus
creating the erroneous impression that General Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, is not
recognised by the Yoruba.
‘’Honestly, I pity Jonathan because he would be thinking that he has penetrated, captured and eventually won the hearts of Yoruba to his side. That will be very untrue. To believe that, Jonathan must be told point blank that he is living in fools’ paradise and should as well
stop building castle in the moon. Gani Adams said he has about six million members. Where are they? And who are the followers of these
outdated Afenifere leaders?”
Kasumu pointed out that Yoruba are very enlightened, intelligent and enterprising people who could not be arm-twisted and hoodwinked by a section of leaders whose antecedents and precedents are antithetical to genuine Yoruba agenda.
‘’Irrespective of emotional outbursts and baseless persecutions mainly targeted at the likes of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande and Senator Bukola Saraki, among other reputed leaders of thought in Yoruba-land, it is evident that these redoubtable leaders are
selflessly and conscientiously pursuing true emancipation of Yoruba from the drudgery of despotism, impunity and monumental corruption
unleashed by the PDP-led Jonathan administration which will soon come to an end, Insha Allah.’’
On Fayose, Kasumu, an octogenarian, said: “It is only someone who is suffering from brain turmoil that can wish his fellow being dead and be insulting everybody, including elder statesmen like Chief Obasanjo who are old enough to be his father. That is why the PDP must not treat the call with levity as Nigerians want to know Governor Fayose’s
state of mental health. His actions and deeds are untoward, strange to Yoruba culture and fall short of normal human behaviourial
standard’’.
