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Gbenga Daniel, the Ogun State governor,
yesterday alleged that the Yoruba people have no common agenda, making
them “like a sheep without shepherd”.

Mr. Daniel, who spoke at a meeting of
governors and traditional rulers of the south west states held at the
Governor’s Lodge, Oke-Igbein, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, said
the Yoruba race now wanders in the wilderness of disunity and
infighting. “Today, the Yoruba nation is in disarray and our people now
speak with Babel of tongues, with no common agenda in sight,” Mr.
Daniel said.

The state governor expressed doubt over
the emergence of a Messiah for the race, waxing biblical and asked
rhetorically, “Where is the Moses to lead our people out of its (their)
Egypt, and where, and when we can find the Joshua to lead Yoruba into
the land of her unity of purpose?”

He argued that what is noticeable is
the claim of leadership of a divided people, stressing that while all
desire to head the kingdom, none seems to ponder, in practical terms,
on the existential condition of the kingdom within an empire called
Nigeria.

Mythical curse

“Or are we condemned to the mythical curse of Alaafin Aole, as we wander aimlessly in the wilderness of disunity?” he asked.

He added that the
traditional rulers have a major role to play, to rally the people
behind an economic agenda for the benefit of their race.

“I dare say our
traditional rulers have much to do because of the general assumption
that they are fathers to all; and their respective stool is guaranteed,
not by the colour of the partisan politics, but by the custom and
tradition of their people.”

Some of the traditional rulers at the meeting included the Ooni of Ife and the Owa Obokun of Ijeshaland.