Afonja - To Be Or Not To Be - Guardian Newspaper
THE old time rivalry and mutual suspicion between the ruling Fulani minority and the Yoruba majority took a new turn on Saturday October 14 when six persons believed to be members of the banned Oodua Peoples Congress were killed by policemen on their way to the ancient city.
Ilorin itself was thrown into a state of near anarchy but for armed policemen that brought assurances that the citizens will be adequately protected.
No sooner did the smoke from the fire of discord disappear that the traditional institution of the town relapsed into its too familiar pastime; arguments, name calling and malice.
The picture is getting more complex by the day. To a casual observer, the quarrel is a straight one between the Afonja descendants and the Emir-led Fulani rulership.
True, the Yoruba (or is it the Afonja descendants) look determined to install an Onilorin of Ilorin in the city but there are other complexities that are giving the Emir, Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, some cause for worry.
Four of his Baloguns (one one of them is Yoruba) who are supposed to be his councillors in their various areas have declared 'war' against him. To show their seriousness about being upgraded, some of them are actually in court seeking legal interpretation of their demands.
As if that is not enough, the Baloguns joined by two king makers (Mogaji Aare and Baba Isale) severed relationships with the emir ñ subsequently they neither greet him, pay homage or visit him at the palace as the tradition required.
One might be tempted to say the face-off was between the emir and his chiefs but for the attempt to crown a new parallel monarch for Yorubas.
The two sides at loggerheads over the proposed Onilorin stool are the emirate council and the Afonja Descendants Union (ADU).
While the Emir's people say the ADU is a bunch of jesters, the Union says the emirship represents nothing but lies. They both try hard to prove that their different positions are supported by history.
Another serious point is that while the Emir and his supporters claim he is a father of all, his detractors say he leans entirely towards the Fulanis. They even claim that he removed Kolapo, the Yoruba part of his name so that no one will be in doubt about where his heart is.
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Samari Kale Bayero COVID Yahaya Abdulkareem Babaita Yaru Igosun Oba Mogaji Abdulkadir Alaro Olatomiwa Williams Ramat Oganija Oluwarotimi Boluwatife Adenike Royal FM Ibrahim Taiwo Road Tunji Ajanaku Idowu Aremu Al-Adaby Baba-Isale Bayer Nigeria Limited Eruku Ita-Ore Mustapha Olanipekun Jimoh Lambe Abdulkareem Sayomi Okala Baba Rafiu Ajakaye Mansur Alfanla Patience Jonathan Arinola Lawal Christian Association Of Nigeria Oke-opin Kwha.gov.ng Folashade Omoniyi Kwara United Oke-Ode Monthly Sanitation Mustapha AbdulGaniyu Haliru Dantoro CCEPE Seun Bolaji Hamidu Olowo Kulende-UITH Saduki Lafiagi Sobi Gbenga Adebayo Ebola Amasa Titus Suberu-Ajibola Alfa Modibo Belgore Abubakar Kawu Baraje Aisha Ahman Pategi Niguel Gallando Marcias Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Waziri Yakubu Gobir AbdulRahman Saad Florence Saraki Olaiya Lawal Emmanuel Olatunji Adesoye Saheed Akinwumi Ibrahim Oniye Damilola Yusuf Adelodun Kolade Solagberu Gambari Wasiu Odewale Olumide Daniel Ibitoye Umar Saro Okanlawon Musa Erin-ile Taiwo Joseph Orisun Igbomina Ubandoma Of Ilorin Allocation National Pilot Abdulkadir Jimoh Summit University Yusuf Arowosaye Solomon Edoja Bursary