22/11/2025
A Wake-Up Call to All Nigerians
Several years ago, I had a dream that has haunted me ever since. In it, a ragtag army swept across Nigeria—Yoruba lands included—bringing devastation and chaos. The collapse was sudden and complete. Most people were caught unprepared, complacent, or had ignored the countless warning signs.
The bandits I saw were ruthless and merciless. Unlike any organized army, they had no respect for life—whether children, the elderly, men, women, or even pregnant mothers. Everything in their path was destroyed. Communities were left in ruins, and countless voices rose in anguish, asking how such calamity had befallen them.
Helpless souls ran in panic, crying out for aid from international bodies—the UN, OAU, America, and others. Yet, tragically, these institutions turned away. Refugees flooded neighboring countries, overwhelming their borders. Hunger, sickness, and despair spread everywhere. Many tried to escape the carnage but were forced to turn back, trapped in the nightmare.
Even the powerful—politicians, celebrities, the wealthy and the poor alike—were reduced to weak, broken figures. No one believed Nigeria could descend into such chaos. The most painful part was that we had been warned repeatedly, but we refused to take those warnings seriously.
I woke from that dream drenched in sweat, gasping for breath. It felt so real, as though I had been thrust onto the battlefield of World War II. At the time, many dismissed my account as unbelievable. Yet today, reality mirrors that vision. Our towns and villages are under siege. What many once denied is now unfolding before our eyes.
For years, Fulani herdsmen have been planning. They have encircled Yoruba land while we were distracted—busy fighting ourselves, celebrating with “owambe” music, and ignoring the storm gathering around us. We may hold the pen, but they wield the AK-47. Who truly has the power?
These enemies are not only physical but spiritual. How do we explain to our children that a ragged, mostly illiterate, malnourished minority—less than 0.1% of our communities—now holds the 99% hostage? Meanwhile, our leaders remain silent, hiding behind political correctness, while we endure more killings, rapes, and dehumanization.
All Yoruba sons and daughters, at home and abroad, should be outraged at the failure of our leaders. God forbid that one day we wake up to headlines announcing that Fulani bandits have wiped out our leaders, leaving us defenseless.
The time to prepare is now. The days ahead will not be easier—they will be harder. If only we would learn from history.
This is not a call to despair, but a call to vigilance. Nigeria cannot afford complacency. We must demand accountability from our leaders, strengthen our communities, and refuse to be lulled into silence. The survival of our people depends on it.
I welcome your thoughts. God bless.
—Olanre Francis
