One curious reader of my column called last week to pour out his disaffection and discontentment over the rising tide of foreign Fulani invasion into Oyo state and the insecurity uptick in the agrarian axis of Oyo state (Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa). He said the time to take the bull of killer herders by the horn is now. He declined giving out his name “because of security reason” and even hide his phone number so “he won’t be traced and tracked”. I listened to his emotional outburst with rapt attention and only chimed in when occasion demands. In essence, I understood his fears, panic and curiosity, hyper vigilance, to say the least, is an understatement in sailing the hurdles of insecurity at this critically odd and hard times.
My caller’s visceral reactions mirrored hundred of others who felt the system is crippling them from self defense. And at the end of our long conversation, and having sensed his ready to go fight- the-killer-herders tone in his voice, I asked if he could leave the comfort of his uppity life to lead the struggle against the invaders. There, for the next several seconds, his rising voice mellowed and his raging anger ebbed. I referenced this conversation to show the crossroads we are as a state and people in fighting the menace of killer herders over our lives, and lands. The series of intelligent and scary reports trickling in from those in authority about the influx and incursion of this killers are already ripping our fragile stability apart. And the aloofness of Federal Government to this existential crisis is fueling the rumor that indeed something clandestine might be in the offing to wipe out people from their ancestral homes.
There is no denying in the fact that this time is delicately dangerous for us as a state. And that we must accept this reality and set forth at dawn to nip this crisis in the bud. For this is a moment of adversaries (igba iponju) and nothing unites the Yoruba (particularly the Oyo) than the period of adversaries. This time wart and all requires all hands to be on deck and that we either stand together to fight this common monsters or be scattered because we couldn’t reach a common ground owing to our differences. For whatever that ails us as people, this is a moment of deep reflection.
As people we have all the excuses in the world to complain, to cry and lament, but lamentation alone without adequate preparation is exercise in futility. For justifications to shout at our troubles and worries alone won’t also restore our stability and security. Already, we know the system itself is overwhelmed and overstretched. And we know the system stifles local ingenuity and creativity. Amotekun corps for instance is already breathing life into our sense of belonging — an outcome of great creativity. The gain of uniting against common foe far outweigh those of division and disunity.
And the idea of being your brother’s keepers should by now be our watchword. Those heating the polity must realize only devil and its incarnates profit largely from unrest. For now and ever, we must verify information before consuming them. Fake news not alternative voices must be frowned at from head-on. Purveyors made to dance the music alone. And as we’ve seen in Sasa confrontation and Ibarapa imbroglio, unrest is easy to foment but hard to put on hold. Even where crisis wait to say hello, the aftermath and destruction that always follow, to put it politely are always heartbreaking. War is nobody’s friend and those beating that drum must know it devastation and destruction across North East and beyond.
This is a reflection time, a time when our emotions and exuberance must not be allowed to override our common sense. Through harmonious collaboration, meaningful corroboration and sharing intelligent tips with neighbors and those in authority; through constant and relentless checking on others, friends and family alike and asking about their well-being and welfare, we are definitely coming out of this existential threat stronger and better. “Without reflection”, Margaret J. Wheatley declared “we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.”
OYO101, Muftau Gbadegesin’s opinion on issues affecting Oyo State, is published on Saturdays. He can be reached via muftaugbadegesin@gmail.com and 09065176850.
