18/10/2025
Whither Yoruba Nationalism? The Tinubu Factor and the Rest of Nigeria
By Oludare Mayowa
The Yoruba of South-Western Nigeria were once leading advocates of national unity, championing the cause of the oppressed and campaigning for the equality of nationalities within the Nigerian context.
We fondly recall the role played by Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in the Second Republic when a legislator, Shugaba Darman, was deported by the Shehu Shagari administration, which accused the lawmaker from Borno State of being an illegal immigrant. A top Yoruba lawyer, G.O.K. Ajayi, was deployed by the UPN leader to spearhead the legal battle that led to Shugaba’s eventual release by the Shagari administration.
Until the recent political dispensation, the Yoruba had continued to lead the struggle for the emancipation of the oppressed from feudal lords who viewed the country as their fiefdom and the rest of Nigerians as their conquest.
The National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), formed to fight against the annulment of the 1993 election won by M.K.O. Abiola, was spearheaded by top Yoruba leaders in coalition with patriotic Nigerians from other geopolitical zones. The struggle against military hegemony and feudalism was not for the South-Westerners alone but for the emancipation of all minorities in the Nigerian project.
Today, things have turned full circle. Some elements within the South-West have engaged in blind support for one of their own, President Bola Tinubu, and choose to ignore any perceived lapses in the ex*****on and implementation of his mandate. From social media platforms to offline discussions, the tendency is for some people in the West to support every move by the administration, regardless of the merit and implications for both the economy and the unity of the Nigerian state.
The recent presidential pardon granted to 175 Nigerians—including those currently serving jail terms, sentenced to death, or previously executed—continues to generate outrage. Critics view the president’s exercise of the prerogative of mercy as arbitrary, insensitive, and contradictory to the spirit of natural justice. Many consider the action a detriment to the fight against criminality, the rule of law, and justice for the victims of those granted amnesty.
However, for the ardent supporters of the current administration, the action demonstrates the president’s “milk of kindness” and his capacity to extend freedom and forgiveness to those who have shown penitence after their convictions.
This trend of uncritical defence continues in all discussions relating to the administration’s activities. Supporters, especially those from the South-West, consider any criticism an affront to the government of their ‘son’ and view it as part of a conspiracy by those opposed to the Tinubu administration’s quest for a second term.
The same trend is evident in the manner they confront arguments against the award, cost, and management of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. Critics have raised numerous issues, including the colossal cost, the lack of transparency in the contract award, the choice of the contractor, and the lack of consideration for those affected by the highway’s alignment.
Rather than examining the merit of the arguments and proffering a more equitable approach, Yoruba supporters of the administration refuse to acknowledge the validity of the issues raised. They are fixated on defending the administration’s actions and inactions without subjecting them to merit-based analysis. Instead, they view criticism through a tribal prism, seeing it as an attack on the South-West and a conspiracy against the administration’s development strides.
For instance, following the outrage generated by the presidential pardon list, there are indications the administration is considering a review. The administration claimed some names might have been surreptitiously smuggled into the original list by vested insiders with ulterior motives, possibly to tarnish its image.
READ ALSO: Nigeria shares N2.10 trn among three tiers of government from September revenue
Yet, the supporters are not relenting in justifying the decision to grant drug dealers, illegal miners, murderers and anarchists presidential pardons, just because the action comes from their favourite political leader.
The same defensive posture is seen regarding the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the mass defection of opposition governors to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and other anti-democratic moves by some officials.
My position, as a major stakeholder and a bona fide indigene of the South-West region, is that while the people from this geopolitical space have the right and, in fact, should support their own and ensure his administration enjoys maximum cooperation, this support should not be blind to natural justice, fairness, transparency and the need to uphold the unity of the country.
Politics should be played without bitterness and with consideration for the general good, regardless of the political association being supported.
President Bola Tinubu will not remain in power forever. Even if he wins a second term mandate, by 2031, he will be out of power. What will be the fate of the region in the scheme of things when someone from another geopolitical zone ascends to power?
If all we do now is support the deliberate policy of appointing the president’s South-West associates to key government portfolios, what becomes of the region when a future president from another region continues the same marginalisation policy in favour of their own?
I wager that we must continue to be patriotic in our outlook, champion fairness, transparency, and the binding unity of the nation as one indivisible people with a vision for even development. Injustice to one should be injustice to all.
The political class have always been united in their purpose: dominating economic interests, sharing the commonwealth among themselves, and ensuring the perpetuation of their selfish agendas above the general good.
The mass movement of governors and top politicians to the ruling party is a clear indication that most politicians are self-centred and will always pursue personal interests, even above the interests of those who voted for them. This mass defection was not done in the interest of Nigerians, who daily face economic hardship and are exposed to the economic vagaries perpetuated by the ruling class.
A divided populace will continue to play into the hands of their oppressors, who believe that the people’s lack of unity serves their personal interests.
A review of key appointments at the state and federal levels reveals that most so-called political leaders have already secured their children’s futures, while the children of the masses continue to struggle to find available jobs.
I wish for a day when the downtrodden and the oppressed will work toward liberating the country from the political class and ensuring the country is ruled with justice, fairness, and a transparent distribution of the commonwealth for the good of all, not just for the few.
This is what Nigerians, from all walks of life, should focus on and cease antagonising their fellow oppressed in the name of supporting one of their oppressors.
(Contact: [email protected]; Newsroom: +234 8033 964 138)
**Kindly join our WhatsApp channel for Newsbreak and analysis**
