Politics is the bane of Yoruba existence. Politics confuses us. It makes us prevaricate (Idaamu). It makes us rationalise. It makes us reconcile the irreconcilable.
 
In particular, we prevaricate that the threat to our existence is political. We prevaricate that the threat comes from the Nigeria government, aided by conniving western countries. So, we seek political solutions. We seek electoral power. We seek referendum. We seek restructuring. We seek fiscal federalism. We seek the assistance of western governments and the UN.
 
None has so far yielded any benefits or lessened the threat to our existence because the Fulani ethnic group, not politics, is the threat, and the only threat, to our existence. The Fulani ethnic group is our implacable enemy. It has been so since the 1800s. It has not changed. Ahmadu Bello very clearly articulated it in October 1960. The 1999 constitution was built on it.
 
The response to the Fulani threat is not a political one but the physical defence of the Yoruba Nation. We have to fight the Fulani. It is inevitable. Our forefathers had to do it, and they routed the Fulani at Ilorin 2 centuries ago. Our forefathers fought to keep every inch of Yoruba soil, and they did. We must do so too. Our Oba as a group led the Ilorin fight; they have to lead again. Our Oba are the only ones with the authority to summon us to war.
 
The first step for our Oba to take is to disengage the Yoruba completely from a Nigeria that has served as the Trojan horse for the Fulani invasion. The first step is to Declare the Yoruba Nation. Our Oba are the right ones to make that declaration.  Indeed, currently, our Oba are the only ones equipped to do it.
 
The office of the Oba is a constitutional one governed by Yoruba constitutional law. The constitution (the ‘Constitutional Oba’) is quintessentially Yoruba. it has been the practice in every settlement in Yorubaland, small or large, including recent settlements like Ibadan. The Oba is not the person. The Oba is an institution; a traditional Yoruba institution bequeathed to us by our forefathers since time began. The Oba is Yoruba, Yoruba is the Oba.
 
Yoruba constitutional law says that the Oba was the titular head of a government, the executive power of which laid in the hands of the Oloye. On the one hand, the Oba represented the collective wisdom of the Council of Oloye whilst on the other hand, the Oba represented the interests and concerns of his people. The Oba was his people’s megaphone (Alakoso) and their traditional representative (Asoju). The Oba was the custodian (Ihamo) of the Yoruba culture and tradition. The Oba was the chief worshipper rather than spiritual leader as is often falsely claimed.
 
In the olden days, the Oloye were representatives of their community. The Oloye used a democratic system to select the Oba. The Oba was accountable to the people through the Council of Oloye. The Council was the bridge between the Oba and his people. Communication was a direct back and forth. Unlike in Europe, the Yoruba had no ruling classes and no aristocratic groups.
 
The advent of colonisation and introduction of the European state system of government rendered effete the Yoruba constitutional law, and as a result, removed the democratic power of the people. The Oba became unfettered and detached from his people. The Oba became a ‘ruler’, but a toothless one. Communication between Oba and people ceased. To move forward with our defence agenda requires that we re-establish that communication between the Oba and the people.
 
In addition to a common language, the Oba institution is the unifying force for the Yoruba; not religion; not politics. Unfortunately, our Oba have abandoned their constitutional contract with the people, and with it their responsibility. It is evident from their actions that they will not respond to ‘soft’ pressure such as open letters and appeals. So, we must be direct and forceful; disrupt and disturb their lives; employ whatever means to wake our Oba up to the reality of the Fulani invasion.
 
1.     Picketing
We can pressurise our Oba by picketing their palaces. We get some people to camp inside and outside the palace gates. Some would display banners extolling the virtues of the Yoruba State. Others would distribute leaflets to draw public attention to the plight of the Yoruba in Nigeria. A copy of the 5-million man petition would be given to each Oba to inform them of the general desire of the people.
 
Picketers are normally non-violent, and our picketers shall be peaceful and law-abiding. Picketing is legal under freedom of assembly laws, and as long as it does not cause obstruction to roads and does not intimidate. Picketing is a tactic commonly employed with success by trade unions in western countries. We can use it to put pressure on our Oba to act.
 
2.      Mobilising
We can pressurise our Oba by bombarding them with incentivising propaganda, reminding them that their primary allegiance and responsibility is to the Yoruba Nation. We make our Oba realise that they are in the last chance saloon; 4 more years of the 1999 constitution could end the Oba institution altogether.
 
We offer our Oba the quid quo pro of reviving the ancient Yoruba constitutional law, which had the Oba in Council (Igbimo) as the 1st tier of government. Each town or city would have its own Igbimo. Each Igbimo would have a general power to oversee the economic, social, and environmental well-being of their town or city.

The idea of our Oba acting as a collective to deal with Yoruba wide problems is not new. In 1866, half a dozen Oba signed the treaty that ended the Kiriji Wars. In 1937, a dozen or so Oba formed the Conference of Oba, which met annually until the 2nd world war. The Conference influenced the colonial government in the important matters of education and agriculture. The Conference of Oba became the House of Chiefs, and the 2nd tier of government in the Western Region.
Kabiyesi, it is time to get the Fulani off our back!