Ignore the daily reports of bombardments. And you won’t lose any sleep. Boasting that terrorists have been “technically defeated.” Or “neutralised.” Those jargons mean billions in all currencies to them. But we perceive them as the babbles of the confused. Deceit to the helpless, hapless!
They rarely happen in the true sense of it. Instead. The terrorists are actually toeing the very patterns of old. The Uthman Dan Fodio Fulani jihadists’ routes. They know the paths quite well. North down South. And they are treading them with utmost precision.
Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi states in the North West, through Plateau, Nasarawa, Kogi, Niger states in the Middle Belt.
Then the emerging tragedy: They are landing in Kwara State with immense ferocity. They are even pushing hard into Igbominaland. And they are making appreciable incursions. It’s undeniable. The people are feeling it in stark, practical terms.
Our fears are being confirmed every other day. Dreaded reports are rushing in dreadful manner. They are fiercely competing for our choked, limited space. Who will save the situation?
Igbomina are fleeing in their large numbers. Under unbearable circumstances and conditions. From their dearly-attached ancestral lands. Unbelievable! Incredible! Do we still have a living government anywhere?
Our leaders have completely lost it with us. They’re detached from us. The trust is far long gone. Year 2027 is on their minds. Not at all our welfare nor wellbeing. They have been living in total self-denial these times past.
Our wild experiences since the inception of this dispensation speak volumes. They are our guides and guardians. They succinctly inform our perceptions and reset our mind sets.
This is the frightful emerging new normal in Kwara State. It’s disturbing, disgusting. Kidnappers are desecrating our revered traditional institution with careless recklessness.
It started last year. And came to a climax some weeks ago. The Guardian report is our guide at this crossroads. The monarchs are the hardest hit. They have turned them to endangered species.
Olupo of Ajase-Ipo, Oba Bolaji Ismail Alebiosu, is Chairman, Igbomina/Ekiti Traditional Council. He said it as much: “Most of the Kabiyesis (monarchs) in Ifelodun (LG) live in Ilorin. Most of them can’t stay at home again. They have left home for their dear lives.
“It took us serious pleading to convince the Olora of Ora to return home from Lagos because he clearly knew he was the next target of kidnappers.
“We appeal to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. We don’t want the repetition of what happened to the late Onikoro. He was killed by bandits in his palace.”
The new attacks almost cover the entire Igbomina and Ekiti lands. The list included but not limited to Babanla, Alade, Ganmu, Oreke-Oke, Okere-Isale, Sagbe, Aileru, Rore, Omu-Aran, Idofin-Igbana, Igbaja, Oke-Iya, Eruku, Koro, Obbo-Aiyegunle, Obbo-Ile, Isin and Isanlu-Isin.
Always on spot! Chief Sunday Adeyemo, aka, Sunday Igboho, is on the march again. This time with clearer mind, intent and purpose. You would admire his uncanny guts. He’s on course this time around. No ambiguity.
He has been consistent in his urge. He thirsts to be let loose against the Fulani terrorists. Lurking in the bushes and forests of Yorubaland. He is genuinely passionate in his audacity. His love for his Yoruba race knows no bounds.
And he does it with the complete ethos of the cherished Omoluabi in him. He has it in abundance. It flows in his blood freely. He won’t shy to express his “reckless” love for the Yoruba nation. It is to the chagrin of his foes and adversaries.
Trust him. To them, he has no apologies or regrets. They can as well burn in blazes. Or end up in the marines. For all he cares. That’s their funeral.
Igboho was in the palace of Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III. Always in his usual best element. Demonstrative and instructive in his resolve. To overrun the rampaging terrorists. No matter where they choose to hide. From Kwara, Kogi, Osun, Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Ogun down to the Atlantic in Lagos.
He is being careful this delicate time. His ordeal in the hands of the late Muhammadu Buhari junta came handy. His intention was deliberately twisted.
Buhari was lied to by his yes-men. Igboho was vilified from “top-to-bottom” by the arch-enemies of Yoruba nation.
Buhari detested Igbhoho’s guts like a pandemic. The more Igboho demonstrated his daring spirit. The more Buhari was pissed off and threw up.
He couldn’t stomach Igboho’s grits throughout his lifetime. Particularly the dark eight years he happened to us. The wise Igboho was very much aware of this. He would not want a repeat performance.
In his humility and total submission. Through Oba Ogunoye, he sought the royal endorsement of Yoruba kings. To allow him into our forests. He will not only chase them out. He will bring them as captives. So he swears.
The fast moving ball is in the court of the governors. It’s time to stand up to be counted. They can’t risk doing otherwise. The Fulani siege is real and frightening. Their collective support is most needed.
The years of yore are rolling back speedily. It beats our imagination hollow. Their style is the same. The template is not altered. They are following it with rabid determination. This time, they are not carrying the Quran. They come purely for our blood and our lands. No pretence.
That 1840 Jalumi War near Osogbo was a pleasant constant reminder. That was the year the jihadists met their Waterloo. It’s doable again and again. It was both the father and mother of all battles in Yorubaland.
Going through this history any time is delight. Let’s rely on the account of J.F. Ade Ajayi & Co in their “Yoruba Warfare in Nineteenth Century” (1964). It serves this purpose.
That Fulani attack on Osogbo in 1840 was their third attempt to subjugate the Yoruba. But they were routed. Great kudos to our indomitable Ibadan warriors. They loathed the Fulani jihadists with great passion.
How they did it will dazzle and marvel you. Balogun Ali led the estimated 5,000 Fulani troops, primarily cavalry. They came from Ilorin, a Yoruba land. But heavily equipped and backed by the Sokoto caliphate.
They laid siege ready to devour Osogbo. It was an expansionist expedition into Yorubaland. Their ultimate goal was to dip their Quran in the Atlantic Ocean. To fulfil the failed dream of Fodio.
Promptly. The Ibadan warriors responded to a noble course. Balogun Oderinlo was at the forefront. He spearheaded the onslaught against the Fulani.
The dreaded war giant was fearless. They crossed “the Osun River at a spot later called Elegba, supposedly named after the 2,000 cowries Oderinlo paid the ferrymen.
“The Ibadan army consisted mainly of infantry armed with long swords, with only a few muskets and horses primarily for the chiefs. This contrasted with the Ilorin force, which relied heavily on cavalry armed with spears.”
The warriors couldn’t be deterred or discouraged. Their focus remained intact. Exceptionally strong and high: “A council of war was held at Idi Aka on the town’s north-west side.”
These warriors were deft war tacticians: “Recognising the disadvantage against cavalry in open daylight, the Ibadan commanders made the unusual decision to launch a surprise night attack to neutralise the Ilorin horsemen. Such tactics were rare, possibly unknown, in Yoruba warfare.
“They used a password for identification: Question: ‘What is the fare of the ferry?’ Answer: ‘2,000 cowries,’ referencing their river crossing. Under cover of darkness, they advanced and fell upon the unsuspecting Ilorin camp” at Agbodogun.
It was a total surprise. They practically sank the jihadists in the river. And buried them for life. It was a legendary battle. Even the latter-day AI is astonished:
“Despite being outnumbered, the Ibadan warriors employed clever tactics and utilised their knowledge of the terrain to gain advantage. The Fulani jihadists were decisively defeated and their leader was forced to flee.”
In such situation, there would traitors. So it was with the captured of the 1840 battle: “While the Hausa Balogun Ali escaped, the Yoruba commanders within the Ilorin army, Lateju and Ajikobi, were considered traitors by Ibadan. Lateju was reportedly executed by Ibadan, while Ajikobi was sent to the Alaafin of Oyo for execution.”
We will want to tell the sweet victory of the Jalumi War all the time. General Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), did it unknowingly. The moment he rolled out “some valuable tips on self-defence and protection.” The Jalumi War flashed back to our memories.
Musa’s summation: “By prioritising self-defence, community empowerment and a multi-faceted approach to security, individuals and communities can better protect themselves and contribute to a more comprehensive approach to protection.”
This puts the CDS and Igboho on the same page. Our governors should not sit on the fence. It’s not the best of times to fold their arms either. Nor keep their fingers crossed. They should lash into this generously.
It is golden opportunity. It rarely surfaces. This is the window they need to curb the Fulani terrorists’ incursion. We have it takes in legion: The Odua People’s Congress (OPC), the Sunday Igbohos. They are there for your pick.
That was how the Ibadan war tacticians summoned courage. And they did it to our admiration in 1840. We are internally and eternally grateful to them. Their legacy is our sweet story of today.
These governors should be bold enough. Do the needful now. That’s all we demand of you. It’s a tall dream though. But achievable is it. Perhaps, reason God puts you there.
“Eyin lokan.” It’s your turn. Time is ticking out fast. This terrorism siege is quite real!
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