Eyin eniyan iyi
On this day in 1951, (April 28, 1951) Action Group was publicly inaugurated in Owo, in the then Ondo Province. Between March 1950 and March 1951, "nine secret meetings of the Action Group had been held" before this public
inauguration.
The slogan of this group then was FREEDOM FOR ALL, LIFE MORE ABUNDANT. This slogan according to Chief Obafemi Awolowo was based on the firm belief
that our people would have life more abundant when they enjoy - "Freedom from British rule; Freedom from ignorance (Education); Freedom from disease (health and general welfare); and Freedom from want - total abolition of want in our society by means of any economic policy which is both expedient and effective".
Ironically, if we simply replace the freedom from British rule with freedom from a suffocating, over bearing central government in present day Nigeria, all the freedom and wants listed 52 years ago are still very present in yorubaland today. All the enormous gains and progress achieved in yorubaland up till 1966 when the western region government was interrupted by the military had all been eroded.
Due to huge pretensions and lip service to the ideals set out to free our people from these wants, we are just concluding another wasted four-year term in most areas of yorubaland. This is not to say that there were not a few areas of progress and a handful of shinning stars, but overall we are still a
long way from where we are supposed to be. Ti Omode ba subu, a wo iwaju, bi agbalagba ba subu a wo eyin - to essentially find out the cause of his fall. So why did the then Action Group with very limited resources succeed in Yorubaland and we have not been able to repeat the feat despite more resources at our disposal?
I recently borrowed a copy of Chief Awolowo's book, - AWO - The autobiography of Chief Obafemi Awolowo in an attempt to view the past, get a glimpse at the golden period in yoruba land, and see if there are lessons to be learnt in view of where we find ourselves today as yoruba people. Some of the interesting issues I found so far are mentioned below.
Essentials for a succesful Party(Discipline, Action, Secrecy)
On party discipline, action rather than words, and need to keep things from prying eyes of detractors that abound -
Chief Awolowo narrated , "I stressed that any new party under which I would be prepared to work and serve must place a premium on action rather than on words". "Action" was identified as number one condition. Next to this, Discipline, and the third crucial ingredient is Secrecy.
How would the once dominant party in yorubaland, AD (Alliance for Democracy) fare in these respects? Was there party discipline, how much action did we see, and how many times did we read all the dirty linens on the pages of
newspapers? Loose lips as someone once said, sink ship.
Organizational Disappointments
According to Chief Awolowo, after several disappointments in getting our people organized in the formation of this party, he almost gave up the idea of the Action Group but for the intervention of Mr. Ajasin, Chief Sobowale, and a Mr. E. A. Babalola. They persuaded Chief Awolowo that a great movement does not really need a large number of people to get started. On the first meeting called by Chief Awolowo, " In spite of my personal contacts with them and the circular letter only seven out of the over sixty persons invited attended the meeting". The sixth meeting was held at Chief Awolowo's house on October 1950 and "only nine of us were present". On subsequent meetings, the Chief wrote" I had always invited as many as between 60 and 100 persons, and the highest attendance had been eleven. I had not merely
sent out circular letters, but had made a great amount of personal contacts as well."
We must always remember this whenever we get discouraged at the turn out or the participation level of our people especially here in North America. No matter what, we must persevere, remain focused and dedicated to the cause of
Yoruba freedom and economic prosperity. Our quest for an unfettered, autonomous yorubaland within a just and truly federal Nigeria is a noble one. Our cause is just, therefore our dedication and resolve must remain unshaken despite
any temporary loss or disappointments.
Afenifere is AD and AD is Afenifere?
On the initial confusion of the new Action Group and Egbe Omo Oduduwa, kind of similar to AD and Afenifere that we have today, - "About May 1950, the Egbe feared that the Action Group when fully launched might become its rival and might even eclipse it. The Egbe, therefore, decided to enter into politics and to have its own political wing. It called on
those of its members who the Egbe's political wing. At the third meeting of the Action Group held in my house on 4 June 1950, I brought this matter up. I was quite prepared to
have the Action Group disbanded, leaving the Egbe free to start its own political wing. There were eleven of us present at this meeting, and the discussion on the issue was long. At one stage, it was clear that the majority favoured the dissolution of the Action Group. But in the end it was decided that the Action Group should continue to function. The view was firmly held that it would be dangerous and contrary to its declared ideals for the Egbe to engage in
party politics. Accordingly, a Committee was appointed to meet the Central Executive Committee of the Egbe to argue the matter out and allay the fears of the Egbe. In the result, the Egbe reversed its former decision and agreed to remain a cultural organization, giving itself freedom of action to back any political party whose policy and programme appealed to it in the Regional elections."
The jar of life
Chief Awolowo on the "jar of life" - here he was narrating a book he read titled
- It's up to you". The philosophy of this book according to chief Awolowo was very simple but also very true and fundamental.
"Take a jar; put in it small beans as well as big beans, making sure that each of the big beans is heavier in weight than each of the small beans at the top; shake the jar and, behold! The small beans rattle to the bottom and the big beans shake to the top. Repeat the process as often as you wish, and
the result will be the same. Now the world is like a mighty jar, and all of us in it, in our different theatres of operation, are like beans with varying sizes and weights. In normal circumstances, each of us is where he is because of
his size and weight. By means of favouritism and nepotism, or of some other deliberate and iniquitous tinkering with the contents of the jar, some beans which are small in size and weight may get to the top and stay there for a time,
but they are sure to rattle to the bottom sooner or later. Said the author in words which I vividly remember: 'Nobody can fool the jar of life'. the sine qua non for anyone who wants to get to the top, therefore is to increase his size and weight in his particular calling - that is mentally, professionally,
morally, and spiritually. Getting to the top is one thing and remaining there is another. To maintain your place at the top you must make sure that you do not at any time shrink in size or lose in weight. But evaporation as well as wear and tear takes place all the time; unless these are constantly replaced,
the man who gets to the top by dint of his own specific size and weight is also sure to rattle. I am a firm believer in this philosophy."
I found this section very applicable to the situation at home today regarding the travails of AD, the dominant political party in Yorubaland which was recently "captured" by the PDP. Enormous lessons should be learnt from this philosophy be you AD or PDP. It is very applicable to both the victor
as well as the vanquished. Even if you had cheated your way to the top, you still have to perform, otherwise you get knocked back down to where you truly belongs.
So fellow compatriots, I just felt compelled to share these with you. Enjoy the rest of your night. Ile Oodua ko ni baje ni asiko ti wa o. Ase
'Seni Ajao
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