MBHS 95 Alumni Association

146th Founders’ Day: May the Methodist Church of Nigeria Not Happen to You

It’s our Founder’s Day. But we the old boys of Methodist Boys High School, Lagos are sad with our heads bowed in sober reflection, and our spirits roused to fight Methodist Church Nigeria to a standstill on the matter of our school property.

14th of March is the Founder’s Day of Nigeria’s second secondary and my alma mater, the prestigious Methodist Boys High School, Lagos. Founded in 1878 by white missionaries who used religion (evangelization) to advance colonialism and colonial education, MBHS, Lagos is the training ground and “Land of our birth” of generations of distinguished Nigerians and some of the country’s finest, including the country’s first president, Dr Nnamdi Azikwe. The Founder’s Day of MBHS, Lagos is usually a day to look forward to as old boys gather from all over the world to remember and celebrate the founders of the school and its achievements over the years.

Today is the 146th Founder’s Day, but we the old boys shall not be gathered to celebrate but to constitute a War Council to prosecute a fight brought to our doorsteps by the present leadership of Methodist Church Nigeria, the supposed proprietor of our alma mater. What we’re fighting is the betrayal of the ideas that founded our school and the satanic greed of the Methodist Church, which manifest in the way and manner the church has treated the school over the years.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
For those who know (and if you didn’t know, you should know), Methodist Boys High School, Lagos used to be on Broad Street, Lagos until Methodist Church happened to it. The school was founded in 1878 by the Wesleyan Mission. The original land on Broad Street was bounded by Joseph Street, Campos Street, and The Marina; the land housed the school, MBHS, Lagos and comprised the school hall, a dining hall, teachers’ quarters, principal’s house, clinic, bookshop, and library (where yours sincerely cut his teeth in reading to gain education not certificate). The land also housed the sister school, the METHODIST GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL, now relocated to Yaba, Lagos. The Methodist Church Nigeria built its secretariat on the land. The secretariat remains largely unkempt today.

Inspired by capitalist thinking and Judas-styled greed, the church started by leasing the principal’s house and staff car park to NAL MERCHANT. Then it subsequently leased a portion of the land that housed the METHODIST GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL to Shell Petroleum and other companies, when the former was relocated to Yaba. Sadly, the incomes derived from the sale/lease of this land were never spent on the infrastructural development of the school then, until the government took over the school.

At that point, it had become clear that the remaining land was grossly insufficient for a school of that status and pedigree.

Brig Gen Mobolaji Johnson, first governor of Lagos and old boy of MBHS, Lagos gave the school a vast expanse of land at Ojo, the present site of LASU. In fact, some students of the school were taken to the Ojo site for the foundation laying ceremony in circa 1972. That was before the government ceded the site to Lagos State University. The foundation plaque is still in the present location of the Faculty of Education of the University.

Chief Tunde Fanimokun and Dr Lewis (then Head of Service ) facilitated the Victoria Island land of the school during Gov Lateef Jakande’s administration. And it was the school, MBHS, Lagos, not Methodist Church Nigeria that was gifted a large expanse of land on Victoria Island (then a virgin swathe of land close to the Atlantic Ocean). MBHS, Lagos was government-owned and it remained so until the return to democracy in 1999, when the Lagos State Government under Bola Ahmed Tinubu decided to return all mission schools to their original owners.

At the time of the return of our school to Methodist Church Nigeria, the school had completed its relocation to the Victoria Island site (on Sinari Daranijo Street, close to the Motherless Babies Home and a stone thrown from Zenith Bank’s corporate headquarters).

THE HEART OF THE MATTER
It was only a matter of time before the leadership of the Methodist Church Nigeria decided to fix its greedy and serpentine eyes on the school land on Sinari Daranijo Street. In a repeat of what had happened to Broad Street land, the church began to sell part of the school land. Of course, we all know that the school land is presently the definition of prime real estate. A substantial part of the land was to be carved out and converted to high-rise flats to be shared amongst the top echelon of the church and rented to the rich and powerful.

For the Methodist Boys High School Old Boys Association (MBHSOBA), it is déjà vu and in the real sense, it is the equivalent of thunder striking in the same place twice. Not willing to fight the church, the association entered into dialogue with the church leadership on the need to let the school land be (solely for educational purposes as intended by the government).

The church demanded compensation of another land and money. After months of intensive negotiations, MBHSOBA offered the church land in the Lekki axis and the princely sum (ransom fee) of 30 million naira through a letter dated November 12, 2021; with an additional pledge to assist the church with building on the gifted land.

“The church leaders, perhaps seeing the ease with which the Old Boys agreed to their demands, decided to add a zero to what is essentially the ransom fee. In a November 18, 2021 letter signed by its Secretary of Conference, The Rt Rev (Dr) Michael O. Akinwale, the church claimed that the N30 million sum demanded by Prelate Uche was “a mistake”. That the actual sum is N300 million with an additional N90 million for “the approval plan and other documentation”. At this point, the Old Boys decided to call the bluff of the church.

Consequently, Prelate Uche (Head, Methodist Church Nigeria) gave a directive barring the Old Boys and their Secretariat staff from the school premises. The only concession was to allow the 144th Founders Day Anniversary on March 14 to hold in the school’s D. K. Olukoya Chapel, named after the Old Boy who singlehandedly built and donated the Chapel to the school. It is a wonder why the church would treat the Old Boys who built the large School Centenary Hall, blocks of staff quarters, laboratories, computer laboratory, e-library with dedicated laptops, and many infrastructures in the school, including provision of water and a 60KVA generator, in a manner unbecoming of the followers of Christ.

The MBHS Old Boys have lived up to their learning in the school to be “Gentlemen of Broad Street” and to live the school motto rendered in Latin: ‘Non Sibi, Sed Aliis’ (Not For Us, But For Others).

On the contrary, the church leadership has exhibited a preference for the use of force and a spirit of covetousness which the Bible advises against in Galatians 5. However, they may find out that the meekness of the Old Boys, like that of Jesus Christ, before he chased out the traders from the temple, does not mean stupidity. But this is not a struggle for the MBHS Old Boys alone; since the school is catering to Nigerian citizens, we collectively need to call the Methodist Church bosses to order.” (Quoted part are the words of Owei Lakemfa, a distinguished old boy, former Nigeria Labour Congress Assistant General Secretary, and newspaper columnist).

AT THE MOMENT
The old boys of Methodist Boys High School, Lagos (old and young, home and abroad) wish to state categorically on the school’s 146th Founder’s Day that we are committed to the fight to extricate our school from the hands of pastorprenuers and the betrayers of John Wesley. Over the years, generations of old boys have committed time, energy and resources to making the school a place of pride. The landscape is marked by different projects executed by old boys collectively and as individuals. The beautiful concrete signage that welcomes everyone to the school compound was donated by my set (1995 Set). The set has set up committees to celebrate 30 years of graduation (next year) with plans to give back to the school (we might have to reconsider that within the context. I will tell you why).

In our battle with Methodist Church Nigeria, we want the world to know that the Victoria Island land on which our school stands did not fall from the sky. It was facilitated by the Old Boys of the school led by Chief Fanimokun with the involvement of Dr. Olufemi Lewis, the then Head of Service, Lagos State. And contrary to claims being made by the church, the fact speaks for itself: If the church had facilitated it, the documents would have been in the name of the church and not the school. The Certificate of Occupancy was issued in the name of the school and specifically stated for educational purposes.

Till date, most of the infrastructural developments at Victoria Island have been carried out and more are being carried out by the Old Boys. To be more specific, other than the classroom handed over by the Lagos State Government, all additional developments in the school such as the Chapel, Centenary Hall, blocks of flats (the residence of the teaching staff), etc. were built and provided by the Old Boys. Dr. D.K. Olukoya, General Overseer of MFM single-handedly built the chapel that now bears his name.

The world needs to know that without adding any value to the school since the government returned it, the Methodist Church started the sale of the Victoria Island school land, exactly the way it did with the Broad Street land.
In the ongoing fight with Methodist Church Nigeria, the old boys of Methodist Boys High School, Lagos have only risen to protect what they paid for with their loyalty, connections, gifts, sweat, and personal deprivations all for the benefit of the current and future generations of students of the school in line with the motto of the school – NON SIBI SED ALLIS (NOT FOR US BUT FOR OTHERS); a motto so ingrained in us from our formative years that it moderates our lives every day and everywhere, and also serves as the battle cry for the present fight.

NOTE: I don’t think my set should spend money on the school until the present proprietor changes course and begins to run the school with its founding ideas and discontinue its present capitalist template. With the current school fees regime of MBHS, Lagos, most old boys, and ordinary citizens cannot even afford the school for their wards. The school charges about five hundred thousand naira (N500,000) per term for boarders; that’s a school regularly and heavily subsidized through the infrastructural interventions of old boys. In my six years in that school, I walked its hallowed grounds with the children of the rich and powerful, the poor and ordinary. It was a melting pot of culture, religion, class, and status. Today’s MBHS, Lagos is the exclusive preserve of the rich and powerful. Those are not the founding principles of a school over which I am emotional and to which I am forever grateful and loyal. Therefore, in celebrating 30 years since we left the school, my set must prioritize giving back to the larger society as against giving back to a school in the firm hands of Judases, enlightened capitalists, and the betrayers of the Wesley brothers. Until the running of the school changes for the better, the old boys association and old boys sets should rethink interventions in the school. It’s another way to reset the brains of the so-called proprietor.

Postscript: On the eve of our 146th Founder’s Day, Methodist Boys High School, Lagos Old Boys Association got an injunction against Methodist Church and J. Wesley Investment Company Limited from further construction on all the land belonging to Methodist Boys’ High School, Lagos.

HAPPY 146TH FOUNDER’S DAY TO ALL GENTLEMEN OF BROAD STREET
God bless the Founders of our School!
God bless Methodist Boys High School, Lagos!

World Teacher’s Day 2023

This morning, I was a guest on ABUAD FM 88.1 on the occasion of World Teachers’ Day together with Mrs Daudu of ABUAD International School.

We engaged the theme of this year’s celebration against the realities which teachers confront especially in developing countries like Nigeria: poor pay, lack of teaching materials and absence of conducive environment, parents who expect teachers to perform magic, etc.

I reiterated the indubitable fact that those without passion for teaching, persons who are not selfless and who are money conscious can’t be teachers.

I expressed my joy and love for the profession and gave a shout out to my students (past and present); they’re mostly amazing and the best. On air, I singled out 3 students who serenaded me with messages and a phone call this morning.

1. Good morning Dr. Olumide. Today is World’s Teachers Day and I just want to say thank you for being a more than AWESOME teacher! I don’t think I can say thank you enough for your impact. I appreciate the passion and the zeal you put into passing knowledge to your students. You make literature seem like the coolest course in the world and it indeed is! Abuad is lucky to have you. I hope you have a great day sir 😊- Seyi Faro, Nigeria Law School (Enugu)

2. Good morning sir Dr.Olumide, Happy Teachers’ Day! Thank you for being an amazing lecturer. Your dedication and passion inspire me every day. I’m grateful for all the knowledge and guidance you’ve shared. Wishing you a fantastic day!”❤️❤️- Yetunde Borokini, ABUAD Law, 200 Level

3. Esther Ejiro, Class Rep, 300 Level, Medicine and Surgery (She called to pour encomium and prayers on me).

The messages and call truly humbled and honoured me. My secondary school mates led by Kunle Sadare were not left out in celebrating Olumide Olusola and myself (we’re the two known teachers in our set).

I thank my colleague and sister, Ms Funke Awodiya for having me on her program.

May the tribe of good teachers increase in the world.

Happy teachers’ day!

30 Years’ Teaching Anniversary of Alhaji Dr. Wasiu Olaitan Adumadeyin

It was a memorable affair on Sunday 6th of August 2023, as one of the wonderful former teachers of Methodist Boys’ High School, Lagos – Alh. Dr. Wasiu Olaitan Adumadeyin – commemorated his 30 years’ teaching anniversary with the launching of his book.

The MBHS 95 Set were well-represented at the event, while presenting a large-sized portrait of our former teacher as a way of celebrating him and this milestone accomplishment.

Our best wishes go out to Alhaji Dr. Adumadeyin and his family. The MBHS 95 Alumni Association send their love and support, and pray for a fulfilling future in all his endeavour.

Below are some images from the event, and as represented by members of the MBHS 95 Alumni Set.

MBHS turns 145!!!

Today marks the 145th Anniversary and Founders’ Day of Methodist Boys’ High School, Lagos. The MBHS95 Set wishes to collectively congratulate the students, staff and all other Alumni on this wonderful landmark by the school.

It is our prayer that the school as an institution will continue to grow in leaps and bounds, and keep churning out gentlemen and leaders that impact families, societies, States, and Nations.

Let’s celebrate this one by singing our wonderful school song yet again.

Land of our birth, we pledge to thee; Our love and toil in the years to be; When we are grown and take our place | As men and women with our race.
Father in Heav’n, who lovest all, | O help Thy children when they call; That they may build from age to age | An undefilèd heritage!
Teach us to bear the yoke in youth, | With steadfastness and careful truth; | That, in our time, Thy grace may give | The truth whereby the nations live.
Teach us to rule ourselves always, | Controlled and cleanly night and day, | That we may bring, if need arise, | No maimed or worthless sacrifice.
Teach us to look in all our ends, | On Thee for judge, and not our friends, | That we, with Thee, may walk uncowed | By fear or favor of the crowd.
Teach us the strength that cannot seek, | By deed or thought, to hurt the weak, | That, under Thee, we may possess | Man’s strength to comfort man’s distress.
Teach us delight in simple things, | And mirth that has no bitter springs, | Forgiveness free of evil done, | And love to all men ’neath the sun!
Land of our birth, our faith, our pride, | For whose dear sake our fathers died; | O motherland, we pledge to thee | Head, heart and hand through the years to be!

WORLD TEACHER’S DAY 2022: In Honour of Mrs Olanrewaju Jeboda, a quintessential teacher

“Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.”
“Your heart is slightly larger than the average human heart, but that’s because you’re a teacher.”
“Teachers can change lives with the right mix of chalk and challenges.”
“Teaching is the greatest act of optimism.”

One of the most incredible teachers who impacted my life during my formative years is Mrs Olanrewaju Jeboda; who recently retired from the Lagos State Teaching Service after putting in 35 years of her life to training generations of students.

If you were at Nigeria’s second secondary school, Methodist Boys High School, Lagos between 1989 – 1995, then your paths would have crossed hers.

Mrs Jeboda taught us Social Studies and she’s a damn good teacher, who knew her subject and taught it with finesse and power.

But beyond her good teaching abilities, Mrs Jeboda epitomizes the finest of the teaching profession. She’s beautiful in and out, goodly, nice, thorough, motherly, conscientious and didn’t spare the rod in turning wayward students away from the road to perdition.

My distinguished set, The 1995 Set of MBHS, Lagos had the privilege and honour of having her with us at our 2006 Reunion, where we rewarded her and other former teachers for their love as well as incredible sacrifices and service to humanity and God.

Teachers should get their rewards here on earth and one of the greatest rewards we can.ever give our teachers is the honour of rememberance, celebration and appreciation from time to time, especially on.a day such as this auspicious one.

Thank you so much, Mrs Jeboda. Today, I am a teacher too because you made it possible. I have find memories of sweet things past.

We, your students, the Gentlemen of Broad Street, love you immensely and value your priceless contributions to our lives. We wish you a happy and most fulfilling retirement.

On behalf of all especially The 1995 Set, God bless Mrs Jeboda with good health and the grace to enjoy her retirement in Jesus name.

Yours truly,
Olumide Olugbemi-Gabriel, PhD

Taking Lessons from the Fate of a Food Cooler

A few days ago, I watched an old Hollywood movie and the almighty FAX machine was used to send message in the movie.

Memories of that machine rushed back in torrents. The good old days came back in black and white.

I said to myself, ‘Where’s the Fax machine now?’. Then I asked my son if he knew what the fax machine was; dude shook his head vigorously before I proceeded to educate him on that used-to-be-important but now forgotten and relegated machine.

Last Saturday, an about-to-marry adopted daughter visited me. In the course of our discussion, I mentioned the street phone booths we used to have in Lagos when I was growing up. I narrated how we used to fool around inside the booth as primary school pupils. Lots of mischief went on inside those ubiquitous phone booths To many in those days, those booths were lifesavers as important line of communication. But where are those telephone booths now? They’re are now relics of once-upon-a-time.

I remember Nintendo games and BMX bikes; they formed important part of our childhood. Nintendo games have faded in memory, while there are better bicycles today. Today’s kids have better games on varied platforms. These new games make yesterday’s games look like Zebrudaya.

Do you remember the cooler in the picture I shared? If you’re seeing it for the first time, then you’re a Gen Z 😂. Goan ask your mum about it.

No party was complete without that cooler in my days. The sight of that cooler used to make many mouths salivate and many hearts palpitate. Too many good memories are trapped in that red cooler. Yes! There was Eleganza cooler too. But where are those coolers of our childhood? They’re gone with the winds and today’s coolers look like ideas from sci-fi books. 😊

Where’s Nokia 3310 telephone handset? You mean someone killed their friend over that phone? Where’s Nokia company, the manufacturer gangan sef?

Where’s Sendo Phone? Where’s Saigem phone? Where’s that Motorola GSM phone that looked like military walkie talkie?

Where’s Yahoo messenger? My first chats, which were with total strangers was on it. I used to pay fees for all night internet use at cyber cafes.

Where are the ubiquitous cyber cafes?

Where’s BlackBerry and all the efizi connected to having one back then? And ‘back then’ is just less than 20 years ago.

Where’s Shagari Benz today? I remember someone who did money ritual to buy Honda Accord car. Please where’s that car today?Where do you think that mansion of yours will be in another 100 years?Just calm down and think this life through.

Remember the words of the preacher in Ecclesiastes: “Vanity upon vanity. All is vanity.”

All of today’s trending material things, peoples, fashion styles and even places will be out of vogue, out of reckoning, out of the equation, faded, irrelevant and/or dead tomorrow.

Nothing lasts forever. Why are you beating yourself so hard? Abeg, drink chilled water.

The last time I was at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport (one of Europe’s busiest airports) to board a flight back to Nigeria, I stood in line for boarding when Olusegun Obasanjo arrived to board the same KLM flight.

OBJ was accompanied to the boarding gate by someone I suspect was a protocol officer from the Nigerian embassy, who briskly handed over Obj’s hand luggage to the ex-president and went his way. OBJ cut a solitary image; he was as ordinary as I was that cold winter afternoon in Amsterdam. That image remains one of my most profound in life. It’s a rich lesson on the transient, fleeting nature of life. OBJ walked away carrying his own bag that day, no noise, no security gragra, no funfair.

Today, we’re here. But tomorrow, we’ll be yesterday men and women.

So why hold on too tightly to that wealth, power, influence, beauty and anything?

Free yourself from today’s entanglement. Live right, serve God and be prepared to give account anytime you’re called to do so. Nothing, absolutely nothing in this world is worth keeping or killing for.

By the way, if you try to keep your life, you’ll lose it and everything with it.

Shalom.

Condolence Visit to the Home of Old Boy – Eniwo Oziwo

On Monday the 8th of August 2022, we were awakened to the rude shock of the news regarding the demise of the wife our friend and brother, Eniwo Oluwaseun Oziwo, which occurred on the 4th of August 2022.

On Sunday, 14th August 2022, a contingent of Alumni members of the MBHS ’95 set paid a condolence visit to the home of our colleague. The group arrived around 1pm and spent about 3 hours to encourage and empathise with him and the family, all the while singing the school song and praying with them.

It is our prayer that affliction will no longer rise in their home, and that the Almighty will comfort and strengthen the family, and give them the grace to forge forward.

We also use this opportunity to all the Gentlemen who lent their support to our brother and friend, both in cash and in kind. May you all be lifted and experience peace and love in your homes.

Below are some images from the visit.

Condolence Visit to the Home of Kunle Sadare

Tragedy befell the home of the Sadares’ on the 6th of May 2022. Their world was turned upside down as they had to deal with the demise of their teenage daughter, having spent 23 days prior at an ICU in Lagos.

It was an emotional experience as the news hit the Association and its members, and many sent in their condolence and commiserations on the shared WhatsApp platform, empathising with the family.

On the 14th of May 2022, a contingent came together and visited Mr. Kunle Sadare’s residence to condole with the family. It is our prayer that the Almighty will be with this family, guide and guard them, even as they experience his comfort, strength and healing through this ordeal.

Below are some images from the visit.

Tears for my Country

This morning during my meditation, I wept as I prayed about Nigeria. I didn’t plan to cry; I’d only planned to pray for self until I stumbled on the instruction to pray for Nigeria.

The tears cascaded down my face and I couldn’t help it, overwhelmed by the parlous state of things in my country. For sometime now, I’ve been carrying too much pain in my heart over the state of things in Nigeria as well as its fate.

I love Nigeria so much; it’s a love I can’t hide no matter how hard I try. I still love it despite its current unenviable state. I have given up much for my country and my commitment to it is central to who I am.

I wear my Nigerianess with pride and confidence everywhere I go. I have tried hard to use myself to show what’s possible and good about my country and people. Therefore, it is in my interests and those of my children that Nigeria works at all cost.

So, this morning, with hot tears falling down my face, I passionately begged God to look down with mercy on Nigeria and see to it that my country works in my lifetime.

As a believer, I know that as things currently stand, without God and a miracle, I don’t see how Nigeria might work with the present crop of leaders and the operating manual being used to run the country by both the leaders and led.

At the moment, Nigeria is not working; it’s rudderless and faces a bleak, dangerous future. Nigeria and Nigerians have crossed the Rubicon. What I see and hear these days scare me to the marrow.

In the fields of education and healthcare, for instance, there’s a mass exodus of critical manpower and resources. Nigerian medical professionals and well trained and highly cerebral university teachers are leaving the country in their hundreds every month. It’s an exodus of the willing and unwilling.

Our hospitals and universities are being emptied of young professionals; only the old ones are left. In both sectors, many of my friends have left; others are set to leave. They’re telling me to leave before it’s too late.

“Olu, it’s time to leave. Don’t be stupid. Do it for your children”, they constantly tell me as I lapsed into silence of assessment.

The situation is so critical and dangerous, but those who should act fast and stop the tide don’t care.

No serious country can hope to survive the mass exodus of its young, vibrant professionals and population. It’s suicide.

The entire educational and healthcare sectors might collapse anytime soon going by the realities on ground. Yet we act like we don’t know the nuanced implications.

University teachers are on strike for the upteenth time. Who can blame them?

The hospitals are without personnel, required equipment and drugs. What we pay as renumeration won’t keep these professionals here in a competitive globalised labour market.

Everyone especially the masses are suffering.

There’s no electricity. No petrol. No water. No security. There’s a scant regard for the sanctity of human life. Values are dead or abandoned.

We’re a major oil producer. Sixty six years after we started exporting crude oil, we’re still importing refined petroleum products because we have no functioning refineries. Nothing can be that macabre and nerve racking.

Politicians come and go with promises of heaven and earth. But they always leave worse than they’d met us. The talakawas are pauperized and contrived to sell their votes. After the deed is done, they look towards heaven for help. Whereas heaven only helps those who help themselves.

Ours is a completely broken system. Yet we carry on unperturbed, talking politics and feeding on sentiments. We celebrate mediocrity and tokenism. With barefaced stupidity located deep in Stockholm syndrome, we defend our oppressors and eulogise the demons tormenting our land and souls.

Salaries are poor, there are about the worst on earth; and there are not even being paid in many places.

Inflation is soaring. Savings are disappearing like endangered species. Salaries stand at akimbo like sigidi.

Food prices and other prices are on high speed. Household budgets are collapsing like dominos. Everybody is running kitikiti katakata.

There’s no middle class again; it’s been wiped out by extant realities. In today’s Nigeria, you’re either rich or poor; there’s no in-between.

And for those who are still capable of thinking right, desperation has set in with regards to options. The question before them is ‘To leave or not to leave.’

No country can overlook the sickening level of decadence and rot in Nigeria and hope to survive or develop. Hear this, no country can survive the mindless stealing, corruption and leadership deficit that Nigeria deals with. Walahi, there’s no such country. To think otherwise is mere wishful thinking mixed with self delusion.

You just need to visit Abuja or have an idea of what’s happening within Nigeria’s political and public service space to know the scale of our challenges. In those places, corruption walks around on high heels prada.

It’s now criminal to keep quiet. No people deserves to be this badly governed.

Please, this is not the time to pretend, hide or equivocate. Nigeria is in immediate need of radical intervention. It’s now or never. I can barely stand the stench and wretchedness which pervade the land.

Lord have mercy. Hear the prayers of every righteous, patriotic Nigerian. Save us from ourselves.

By: Olumide Olugbemi-Gabriel

YORUBA RONU: THE YORUBA AND THE IDES OF YAHOO/RITUAL MONEY

There’s a yahoo plus epidemic ravaging Yorubaland; it’s now everywhere you go. Our boys are recklessly killing our girls and mothers. Many are leaving school or pretending to be in school for yahoo. Ritual killing is at an all-time high. No one, I repeat myself, no one is safe in Yoruba from this deadly scourge. Our hotels are no longer place of relaxation but slaughter slabs.

But the casualties are not only those who are dead; the dead are in fact the lucky ones with Yahoo Plus. Many destinies have been stolen or aborted. Our land is turning gradually into wasteland.

How much longer do we have to wait?

Even Yoruba mothers are not left out in the diabolical hustling. They have formed an Association of Yahoo Mothers, more like Murders. It doesn’t get more macabre and surreal than that. Yoruba mothers now say of their children, “Yahoo lo’n se” without fear but with pride. They also encourage their daughters to follow/date yahoo boys. Yeeeer! Eemo w’olu (the impossible is now the reality).

When did we turn this deadly corner? What happened to ‘ise logun ise’? What happened to ‘atelewo eni kii tan ni je’? What happened to “oun t’aba sise fun, loun pe lowo eni”? What happened to ‘eti wo loun gbo’?

How many Dangotes has money ritual/yahoo produced in Yorubaland?

Ahhhhhhhh. Omo Yoruba, sogba fo.

The insect that decimates the vegetable lives on its leaf. To continue watching what’s unfolding wide eyed is to give talubo and blindness free access.

Yoruba people and leaders, silence is no longer golden. The time to activate an actionable plan has come. All hands must be on deck.

All of us must come together and build a bulwark first, then go on the offensive against the evil roaming free on our land. Parents, elders, teachers and educationists, opinion leaders, sociologists and psychologists, traditional rulers and institutions, religious leaders, political leaders, sociocultural groups, town unions, Yoruba intelligentsia, OPC and Amotekun must raise their voices, righteous anger and wherewithal against Yahoo plus. Do not say it’s not your business. Remember mokanmokan; yahoo scourge is a pendulum, a deadly and nondiscriminating web in which both the wayward and innocent are easily entrapped.

Omo Odudiwa, ejeka ronu. E dide, iseya. Eemo ti w’olu.

Oodua a gbewa ooooo!

By Olumide Olugbemi-Gabriel