Baba Ogunde! Dákun Mọ́binu!
Since Tambuwal stepped down for Atiku in the just concluded PDP primary – the most close-minded amongst us have started their usual pontification. They have begun to chorus the most stupid, that outdated slogan of ‘Yorùbá-Ronú’ again.
They can’t even hide the double-talk. Perhaps hypocrisy is a mental disease that robs one first of one’s short-term memory. It was only weeks ago after the killing of Deborah, that the same Yorùbá-Ronú exponents were up and about on how the Northern elites have Zombiefied or Almajerized their people. How much they’ve robbed them of their individuality. How well they only hear “Go.” How badly they never respond to “Come.” The same folks were quick to lecture us on the legendary Tolerance of the Yoruba race. They were quick to whip up the patronizing Twitter post of Reno and the Netflix documentary on the Yoruba race as salient proofs to support the cultural sophistication of these amazing people.
But weeks after – just so conveniently, in the aftermath of a PDP – National Robbers Primary, because a Tambuwal stepped down for one Atiku. The Yoruba act in the opposing – equally Party of National Bandits must follow suit, otherwise we are stupid, dumb or whatever!
It is all balderdash! Pure emotional blackmail. An attempt by Yoruba leaders to Almajerize Yoruba followers! We are who we are because of our independence of thoughts. In Yorubaland, kin don’t necessarily follow his kin. We don’t sleep and necessarily position our heads toward the same angle. Mothers think all over the place, but her kids are thinking mainly of Àmàlà. Our thoughts do not necessarily have to be in unison. We are made that way for a purpose. So I don’t understand why folks think some of us would succumb to their incessant gaslighting. As if we don’t know what’s up. The Yorùbá-Ronú chanters themselves are convenient patriots. We wouldn’t hear from them when the ‘going’ seems to be going good. Soon as the going stop going good, then they start chanting ‘Yorùbá-Ronú’ upandan!
Ogunde wrote the play Yorùbá-Ronú in 64. But either by ignorance or deliberate oversight some of these folks wouldn’t chant ‘Òtítọ́ Korò’ – another one he wrote in ’65 – for our penchant for straying away from the truth.
It is unfortunate nevertheless how that phrase has been thoroughly bastardized all to corral us all into another form of mental and physical slavery. And how it’s been conveniently weaponized to wilfully lead us astray. My mind ever so suspicious, ever so wary have developed a way to sourcing out the potential ‘thieves’ amongst my friends and kinfolk. The moment I hear anyone of them use these phrases:
“It Is Well,” or
“I am saved and sanctified,
and chiefly that annoying – Yorùbá-Ronú!”
I know exactly what they are communicating. These are some of the most insincere amongst us – nursing their own clandestine or inordinate ambitions. These are hungry lions, roaring wildly and seeking for whom to devour!
Yorùbá-Ronú kọ́ọ̀! Yorùbá-Rokà Ní!
+Odolaye Aremu is a public affairs analyst