WHY IYABO OBASANJO-BELLO AND OTHERS SHOULD NOT APOLOGISE TO GOV. GBENGA DANIEL!

WHY IYABO OBASANJO-BELLO AND OTHERS SHOULD NOT APOLOGISE TO GOV. GBENGA DANIEL!

A popular Yoruba adage says a river that forgets its source dries up sooner. It is in the light of this that the recent celebration of tyranny and display of arrogance in the name of politics in Ogun State seriously calls for concern amongst the committee of rational beings. The extent with which Governor Daniels tramples with Yoruba culture, norms and values is a deviation from the rich heritage of Yoruba people. Governor Daniel approach to his self-succession agenda in 2011 is highly anachronistic and unstatesmanly.

If the Governor were a good student of history, he would have known he was embarking on a lost battle. He has however embarked on a journey of no return, as he could neither sustain nor triumph in his war against the Egbas. The recent attempt to ridicule notable sons and daughter of Egbaland in the person of the speaker of Federal House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Dimeji Bankole, Hon. Sarafa Tunji Ishola, the immediate minister for Solid Minerals and our daughter, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello is a reflection of the megalomaniac of a Governor suffering from inferiority complex. The demand for apology by the Governor before the conferment of chieftaincy titles on these sons and daughter of Egbaland amount to undue arrogation of naked power and a display of arrogance.

Governor Daniel has forgotten that the Egbas got political independence long before Nigeria and thereafter sent delegates to the Queen of England to demand federation of Egba land. It is rather too late for the Governor to reverse what the Egbas accomplished several decades before Daniel was born. The Egbas are custodians of wisdom, logics and intellectualism of western education without sacrificing their rich traditional culture. The colossal influence of the Egbas on the Nigerian State is divine and enviable and beyond what the likes of Gbenga Daniel could rubbished.

No amount of intimidation, threats and blackmail can prevent the Egbas from discharging their historical responsibilities of liberating the Ogun State people from the bondage and tyranny of Gbenga Daniel come 2011. History has shown that when tyrants are about to fall, they first go mad, then lose sense of rationality and start biting like rabies infected dogs. However, the truth is that the Egbas are gallant enough to tame the madness of rampaging dogs.

We salute the courage of Iyaniwura of Egbaland, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo Bello and the ebullient and brilliant speaker, Hon. Dimeji Bankole as well as the courageous, rugged fighter, Alhaji Sarafa Ishola for not bowing to intimidation. ECONID remains vehement that there is no basis for apology to Gov. Gbenga Daniel. The drum of a drowning Governor needs no serious attention.

Our resolve to fight Governor Daniel inch for inch remains unchanged!

We close this with another Yoruba adage: Adiye B’alokun Ara Oro’kun Ara Oro’diye. The hen that perches on a suspended rope expects no comfort like the rope on which it perches.

Signed

Soyemi Adeniyi

General Secretary

On behalf of Egba Collective