I have seen the trending video produced by Professor Femi Olufunmilade. Femi, the professor by career and a simple man by nature appeared to be angry or anxious. He called out Yoruba leaders to Orita Gbagede, the public square. He is not alone. Several others have called out leaders and followers. Some even abused them or cursed them.
Incidentally, recent attacks, invasions, atrocities and crimes in the West caused by some Fulani herdsmen, bandits, foreign or local hoodlums have aleady forced out different shades of Yoruba leaders, scholars and rulers.
In fact, Leaders and great men in Yorubaland are already out in Orita Gbagede. The Obas including HRM Alafin who was first to speak out and HRM Ooni who went to President Buhari, the serving Governors, former governors & former president, the warriors and retired military Generals including Alani Akinrinade, Kunle Togun, our own Aare Onakankanfo, the courageous Sunday Igboho and others have already taken visible positions. Scholars including Prof Wole Soyinka, Prof Banji Akintoye, Prof Bolaji Akinyemi; learned ones including Afe Babalola and Femi Falana, our fathers & leaders including Chiefs Fashoranti, Ayo Adebanjo, Olu Falae, Dr. Kunle Olajide and our younger leaders like Yinka Odumakin, Kole Omololu, Femi Olufunmilade, Deji Osibogun, Awa Bamiji, Owolabi Oladepo etc are in the public square already and so are our cerebral writers including Dare Babarinsa, Ruben Abati and others. The list is long. You have seen them. You have heard them. You know them.
But What Next
What is paramount now is for the Yoruba nation to eschew politics, self interests, procrastination and bickering; deploy all resources within the land to galvanise a meticulous Defensive Action Plan complete with strategies, schedules and schemes to be driven by select leaders (including the governors) and subgroups to protect the commonwealth and future of Yorubaland.
We simply have had and heard enough of shakara and passing the bucks. It is time for a well articulated and focused action plan to save the future.
Dr. Olu Agunloye. 29 January 2021