…as Yoruba Obas Elect New Leaders
By Gloria Ikibah
Rep. Leke Joseph Abejide, the Asiwaju Yoruba in Kano State and member representing Yagba East/Yagba West/Mopa-Muro Federal Constituency of Kogi State in the House of Representatives, has called on Yoruba people living in the North to unite in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Abejide made the appeal during the 10th anniversary and election of new executives of the Association of Yoruba Traditional Leaders/Obas Northern States and FCT held in Abuja on Saturday.
He described the event as a celebration of Yoruba heritage, values, and cultural significance in Nigeria.
Abejide further pointed out the achievements of the Yoruba people across Nigeria, emphasising their reputation for excellence and leadership wherever they reside.
He said, “People like me, I lived in Kano for about 32 years. And I entered Kano as nobody, but I came out as somebody. Through the grace of God.
“And our population in Kano State, if you count us one after the other, we are not less than 5 million Yorubas living in Kano State alone. We can even determine who will be governor of Kano State. That is how important we are in Kano. And I believe in other areas of Northern Nigeria. Let me congratulate you for your 10th year anniversary.
“All the traditional rulers here today. I want you to know that, I, Elder Leke Joseph Abedjide wiill support you, If and only if you will walk along with me to support the president.
“I know most of you are doing very well in your choosen endeavours. I know my own Yoruba King, Otisense, the Oba Yoruba of Kano State, is doing very well. I know the chairman of today, Oba Funtua is doing very well. And many of us here, in their own choosen endeavours. They are not sitting down to go and beg. They command respect among the populace even beyond Yoruba race”.
Rep. Abejide therefore called on Yorubas to rally behind him to support the policies and programs of President Tinubu as he said, “as a group, they will reap the dividends of democracy”.
“I want you to join me in whatever I’m going to do I told my people when I was contesting the election for my second term in the House of Representatives, I said follow me, if you follow me and the president wins this election, you will see what I will bring home and by tomorrow I’m going to flag off a 57.2 kilometer road. It is not my own power, it is because I have a father behind me. So also if you follow me and do what I say you should do, you will what happen in this association.
“It is not me that is doing it alone, but its because I have father who is backing me. I want us to speak with one voice anytime when the time comes, once we do that I can always get things for you as an association. I am the Asiwaju of Yoruba.people in Kano State and I say it here today. I am also the Asiwaju of my place, my community, my federal constituency. As I said, if we count the population of Yoruba in Plateau state, in Funtua, in Katsina, in Gombe, in Kaduna, and other places in the north, by the time we remove that population of Yoruba from the population of this country, maybe it will remain only half.
“We are so many, and let us use our population wisely this time. When it is time, we are still going to hold a very big gathering that will bring all our people in the 19 northern states, including the FCT. And that’s a lot to lose. We are going to speak at that time and I believe the whole world will hear our voice. Anywhere Yoruba man is found is a peaceful man. We don’t believe in a riotous life.
“We live a life worthy of emulation. And that is why, you see, most of us are doing well in our area of endeavors. I just told you, I’m a Yoruba man, but I brought so many people up in Kano, who are indigenous of Kano, who are multi-millionaire today. It is because of my attitude, my character, that I was able to succeed among them, and also brought many of them up like us.
“The Obas are here. They need our support, I didn’t want to bring people much. I was restricted by my Kabiyesi in Kano, because we still have a bigger program to do in Kano. And that is where our next focus is. We are going to build an ultra-modern palace for the Yoruba in Kano. There’s no politics on ground now. It is a cultural and a race living in another region of this country.
“You see, Yoruba-speaking part of this country are in the southwest, that is southern region. But all the people you see gathered here today are from the south-west. That is southern region. And the Yorubas are from 19 states, plus FCT of Nigeria. They are celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the establishment of kingdoms in the north.
“They are celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the establishment of kingdoms in the north. They are celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the establishment of kingdoms in the north. The establishment of kingdoms in the north. It has been a system for several years, but when it comes to proper organization, it started 10 years ago.
“And we are in millions, as I said. In Kano alone, we are more than 5 million. If you got Plateau State, you will see the Ogbomoshos, if you see the number,they are also in millions. In Funtua, we even have communities. We have communities in Kano, we have ‘Anguwan Yorubawa’. We are so many, so,we came together to celebrate our union and the new excos that took over today”.