Prominent Yoruba leaders yesterday rose in defence of the family of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, describing the attack on Mama HID Awolowo as uncalled for. The leaders spoke with one voice: No one will be allowed to discredit Awolowo’s family.  A columnist with a piece entitled: “Awo family without an Awo” published on Monday in a Lagos-based newspaper had made disparaging comments on the family of Chief Awolowo, especially accusing the matriarch of the family of hobnobbing with political office holders and that the “so-called real Awolowos who bear his surname cannot come up for mention. They are Awolowos but not Awoists. They stabbed their father in the back. They have committed ideological parricide.” The columnist also made reference to his past write-up where he said “this woman whom Awo once described as the jewel of inestimable value has lost value to his cause. If he came back to life, he would have committed the extraordinary act of divorce after death. Even his newspaper, The Nigerian Tribune, has so stumbled and fallen that it swims in Awo’s vomit.”

But Yoruba leaders including Pa Reuben Fasoranti, leader of Afenifere; Dr. Frederick Fasehun of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC); Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Senator Femi Okunrounmu and Gani Adams, who spoke with National Mirror yesterday, said the attack on the matriarch of Awolowo family is uncharitable. The leader of the pan- Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Pa Fasoranti said Awolowo family doesn’t deserve condemnation given his contribution to the development of Nigeria. Fasoranti said the ridiculing of the family was in bad taste. He said: “The family doesn’t deserve condemnation for all Papa did for this country; his contributions and forthrightness. He is a singular example of what governance should be. He deserved to be revered not condemnation. “The article was written in bad taste, very unfair to the family. In the first place, the woman is still morning the death of her daughter, they shouldn’t have added to her sorrow.

And most of the things said about the Awolowo family are not true. The comments are very unfair. With what Awolowo had done for the Yoruba race and Nigeria at large, his family doesn’t deserve such condemnation; very biting and ridicule.” The Yoruba leader called for the retraction of the offensive article. “Mama has reacted and the person who wrote that piece should get the message and retract the article or apologise. I think the family should take it up. The paper shouldn’t have gone all out to paint the family in ridicule,” he said. Founder of the OPC, Fasehun, said that nobody can successfully discredit the Awolowo family. “I’m surprise by the outbursts. In any case nobody can discredit the Awolowos not to the Yoruba people; they can do it in any other nation.

I don’t think the Awolowos can be discredited in Nigeria. I repeat; nobody can discredit that family successfully in Nigeria. The family has not done anything to warrant such criticism,” Fasehun told National Mirror. Adebanjo, a known disciple of Awolowo, said that the Yoruba race will not watch anybody to rubbish the heritage of the late sage. His words: “Yoruba will not watch and allow anybody to rubbish the name of Awolowo. It is wrong for someone to be rubbishing the name of Awolowo. A true Awoist will never support anybody rubbishing the name Awolowo after they have mounted on the heritage of Awolowo. “It was in bad taste. If he has any criticism of members of the family, that is not the language to put it. The Awolowo family has not done anything to warrant such condemnation.

To say that Chief Awolowo would have divorced his wife if he were to be alive is uncalled for. This is someone that has just lost her daughter less than two months ago. What they are trying to do is to rubbish the name of Awolowo and I think the owner of the paper should call the writer to order. This is not the first time he is writing that kind of article.” Adebanjo said he is not averse to anyone criticising Awolowo or any member of his family, but such should be done with civility. According to him, “I’m not saying they shouldn’t criticise Awolowo family if there is anything wrong they felt they have done, I’m saying the way it has been done and the reason given is condemnable. That does not show he is an Awoist. If you are a supporter of Awo and you see anything wrong, you point it out not that you condemn his heritage. “Awolowo himself was not infallible; when he was alive we do agree and disagree, but not to insult and condemn him.

It shows some prejudices of some hidden agenda. It shows from the language of the owners of the newspaper that they want to rubbish Awolowo when they have not done one per cent of what he did and they are already equating themselves to Awolowo. That shows the emptiness of their proposition.” The Afenifere chieftain described many of those calling themselves disciples of awolowo as fake Awoists. “Some of these people that are parading themselves as Awoists are fake Awoists. I’m a creation of Awolowo. For them to condemn the whole family and say that there is nobody from the family that is behaving like Awo, that shows their hidden agenda. The owner of the paper is expected to call them to order,” Adebanjo told National Mirror. The Secretary General of Afenifere and one of the promoters of the Yoruba Unity Forum(YUF), Senator Femi Okunrounmu, said those behind the plot to demystify the Awolowo family will fail.

“Only a deranged man would want to condemn Awolowo family under the circumstance the writer did. I don’t see what offence the Awolowo family has committed; Mama HID Awolowo is a mother figure for all Nigerians to an extent that he cannot be partisan. Every political party go to her residence to pay homage,” he said. The Afenifere scribe said Mama Awolowo has not devalued herself except the writer who is doing a hatchet job for a very ambitious politician, who thinks money can buy everything. “Can you imagine a sane person writing that if Awolowo were to be alive, he would have divorced his wife? How can you be saying such of someone that is 95? Fortunately for them, they are fighting a war they cannot win. Their problem is that Awolowo’s name has refused to die,” Okunrounmu told National Mirror.

Okunrounmu said the non-involvement of the Awolowo’s children in politics is not enough to chastise them. “In any case,the fact that they are not active politicians cannot be used against them,” he said. The President of OPC, Otunba Gani Adams warned that Yoruba will resist any attempt to denigrate the Awolowo family, insisting that Mama Awolowo has not gone beyond her boundary to warrant such tirades. Adams said: “This attack is uncalled for. It is sad. I think somebody sent him to do that job. The name of Awolowo is too powerful for anybody to confront. Awolowo stayed all his life without having any stain.He should be very careful because Yoruba will not forgive anybody that continued to damage the name of Awolowo family. We condemned what he wrote against Awolowo family. It is a slap on the Yoruba race and Yoruba should rise up and defend the legacy and family of Awolowo. “Anybody that writes anything against the family of Awolowo is an enemy of Yoruba. I think the publisher of the newspaper should warn him seriously. He should not do anything to affect the image of the great leader that is cherished like gold in Yorubaland. We condemned what he wrote against Awolowo family. It is a slap on the Yoruba race and Yoruba should rise up and defend the legacy and family of Awolowo.



http://nationalmirroronline.net/news/13850.html

Cry me a river.

This is not even about Awolowo, it's about the greedy and misguided elements within the family.

Where were these self serving clowns called leaders when the family was using the Tribune to attack their own Yoruba people on behalf of their PDP political and financial benefactors? Where were they when their cronies bastardized the SW for 12 years?

I cant stand these nuisance socio cultural demagogues.


Abeg hushhhh

Enough of all these dragging of Awolowo's name is the mud,will Awolowo kiss a thief like Gbenga's asss if he were to be alive ?

Cry babies

OAM4J: Is this allowed on this site?:

Eko Ile:

Cry me a river.

This is not even about Awolowo, it's about the greedy and misguided elements within the family.

Where were these self serving clowns called leaders when the family was using the Tribune to attack their own Yoruba people on behalf of their PDP political and financial benefactors? Where were they when their cronies bastardized the SW for 12 years?

I cant stand these nuisance socio cultural demagogues.


Abeg hushhhh

Or this?

~Bluetooth:

Enough of all these dragging of Awolowo's name is the mud,will Awolowo kiss a thief like Gbenga's asss if he were to be alive ?

The above basically insinuates that a 95 year old widow and great-grandmother is "kissing asss", even though she's just lost a daughter. Is this language temperate and considered clean enough for you, given the context?

Have you people have no respect for old age anymore Do you have any plans of growing old at all, or you have all signed a deal with the devil to die young??

OAM4J, I do not appreciate the PM you dropped me at all. How does that note make you different from the tyrants you all abuse on this forum everyday?? I cursed them. Yes. I did because their behaviour deserves curses. I can't descend into the gutter of personal abuse with them, but I can invoke the spiritual consequences of their behaviour. If they amend their ways, and stop abusing vulnerable 95 year old widows, the curses won't work. If they or anyone else for that matter persists or seeks to defend their indefensible actions, let them sleep on their bed as they lay it.

While reading through this article,I unconsciously strongly believed Eko-Ile would be the first to respond in defence of Tinubu the drug lord!Somehow it is good things like these come up so that we can truely know those who are on the pay of any politician and know how to teat their view on a any political matter

The author of the article was only trying to express how the believes of AWO does not resides in any member of the family a view which i strongly support

~Bluetooth:

Enough of all these dragging of Awolowo's name is the mud,will Awolowo kiss a thief like Gbenga's asss if he were to be alive ?

Hmmm, so she should be kissing a "saint" like Tinubu instead right??

X-factoria:

Hmmm, so she should be kissing a "saint" like Tinubu instead right??

I know, especially a saint with pristine antecedents, JUST LIKE AWO

Eko Ile:

Cry me a river.

This is not even about Awolowo, it's about the greedy and misguided elements within the family.

Where were these self serving clowns called leaders when the family was using the Tribune to attack their own Yoruba people on behalf of their PDP political and financial benefactors? Where were they when their cronies bastardized the SW for 12 years?

I cant stand these nuisance socio cultural demagogues.


Abeg hushhhh

Do you realize at all that the Tribune is a business entity? Do you realize also that the ACN is also Tinubu's business??

Gullible folks like you have bought the dummies sold to you that anything anti-ACN is anti-Yoruba. Nonsense!!!

~Bluetooth:

Enough of all these dragging of Awolowo's name is the mud,will Awolowo kiss a thief like Gbenga's asss if he were to be alive ?

Well, Awolowo, if here alive today, wont be hanging out with Tinubu either.

That said, between OGD and Tinubu, from what we know, OGD, though not a professed awoist, is more Awosit than Tinubu.

When late Chief Bola Ige, Pa. Abraham Adesanya and others were forming AD, where was Emperor Tinubu, smoking gbana in the US, No?

X-factoria:

Do you realize at all that the Tribune is a business entity? Do you realize also that the ACN is also Tinubu's business??

Gullible folks like you have bought the dummies sold to you that anything anti-ACN is anti-Yoruba. Nonsense!!!

Let them carry on with their naivety or dubeity s the case may be

It beats my imagination that anyone could idolise that crook called Tinubu whose life and record has been trailed by controversies that border on criminality

The first Domino has fallen. Expect a huge fall out very soon. The main Yoruba bodies that should have his back will distance themselves. Then the traditional leaders will follow suit, because who wants to support someone that will give them money and turn back to insult them in the papers? I like how Eko Ile and the rest of the flies are commenting. This is a huge boost to Tinubu's image. Please continue insulting your elders. ACN will get where it is heading to.

X-factoria:

Do you realize at all that the Tribune is a business entity? Do you realize also that the ACN is also Tinubu's business??
=

Gullible folks like you have bought the dummies sold to you that anything anti-ACN is anti-Yoruba. Nonsense!!!

With the above meaningless rubbish, the highlighted applies to you. What's this nonsense got to do with the fact that  paper is being used by the PDP and members of the family to attack the people of the SW? Who gave the ACN land slide victory in the West? The people of the SW right?

So, when you go to war to attack and discredit the ACN and thwart their efforts on behalf of the PDP, the same PDP that regressed the region and the people of the SW, are you not trying to suppress the same people of the SW. Did  the people of the SW not just asked the ACN to administer their affairs?


I know all about your anti ACN and Tinubu stance so be honest with yourself and quit hiding under some thoughtless rubbish.

lol @ the ACN is a business. The dum.b and ignorant nonsense you read on NL sometimes sef,

Wizardofoz:

Well, Awolowo, if here alive today, wont be hanging out with Tinubu either.

That said, between OGD and Tinubu, from what we know, OGD, though not a professed awoist, is more Awosit than Tinubu.

When late Chief Bola Ige, Pa. Abraham Adesanya and others were forming AD, where was Emperor Tinubu, smoking gbana in the US, No?

Are you talking of the so called AD members that were manipulated by Obj to vote for him ? Do you think the opposition status of the SW would have been possible if Tinubu and co did not pull out to form AC ? Abeg these men have sympathy for pdp and cannot stand for the legacy of AWO !

felele:

OAM4J: Is this allowed on this site?:
Or this?


The above basically insinuates that a 95 year old widow and great-grandmother is "kissing asss", even though she's just lost a daughter. Is this language temperate and considered clean enough for you, given the context?

Have you people have no respect for old age anymore Do you have any plans of growing old at all, or you have all signed a deal with the devil to die young??


OAM4J, I do not appreciate the PM you dropped me at all. How does that note make you different from the tyrants you all abuse on this forum everyday?? I cursed them. Yes. I did because their behaviour deserves curses. I can't descend into the gutter of personal abuse with them, but I can invoke the spiritual consequences of their behaviour. If they amend their ways, and stop abusing vulnerable 95 year old widows, the curses won't work. If they or anyone else for that matter persists or seeks to defend their indefensible actions, let them sleep on their bed as they lay it.

what is the big deal about death ? I'd rather die young than mess up when I grow old.the woman has gone senile.

X-factoria:

Hmmm, so she should be kissing a "saint" like Tinubu instead right??

Maybe or maybe not but she shouldn't be kissing the asss of AD leaders that have sold their conscience to Obj.

~Bluetooth:

Are you talking of the so called AD members that were manipulated by Obj to vote for him ? Do you think the opposition status of the SW would have been possible if Tinubu and co did not pull out to form AC ? Abeg these men have sympathy for pdp and cannot stand for the legacy of AWO !what is the big deal about death ? I'd rather die young than mess up when I grow old.the woman has gone senile.
Maybe or maybe not but she shouldn't be kissing the asss of AD leaders that have sold their conscience to Obj.

Bluetooth yarning dust from ear to ear again, like a regular bluetooth. The woman is going senile, and she managed to come across as more educated, and sane than you and all the people in ACN. . What a disgrace.

This is only the beginning though. History tends to repeat itself.

Eko Ile:


With the above meaningless rubbish, the highlighted applies to you. What's this nonsense got to do with the fact that  paper is being used by the PDP and members of the family to attack the people of the SW? Who gave the ACN land slide victory in the West? The people of the SW right?

So, when you go to war to attack and discredit the ACN and thwart their efforts on behalf of the PDP, the same PDP that regressed the region and the people of the SW, are you not trying to suppress the same people of the SW. Did  the people of the SW not just asked the ACN to administer their affairs?


lol @ the ACN is a business. The dum.b and ignorant nonsense you read on NL sometimes sef,

You seem to be one of those lose striplings on NL who lack home training. So I will just ignore the insults and take you on on the facts.

Why can't Tribune discredit ACN? Are the people in ACN saints or infallible? This is another hypocrisy that makes your submissions laughable. How did PDP regress the region? That is a propangada that the ACN and Tinubu keep selling to you guys. How did AD better the lives of SouthWest people between 1999 - 2003? Was it Tribune that ask the SouthWest people to kick them out in 2003 when they couldn't deliver?

You said Tribune is thwarting the efforts of ACN. What is Tinubu's The Nation newspaper and the editors of the Punch and other newspapers on Tinubu's payroll doing? Do they sing praises of PDP? How about The Nations several disparaging write ups on Mimiko, Governor of Ondo State simply because he refused to dump his labour party for ACN?? You are clearly naive of Tinubu's mastery of the propaganda game. Some of us who are well enlightened know that there is a thin difference between the PDP and the ACN. We also know that ACN is not about any Yoruba's agenda but Tinubu's own personal agenda. You do not have to agree but ACN is a business entity. Tinubu's business entity.

Truthfully and without prejudice, there is no single newspaper in Nigeria that is not politically bias or that is non-aligned. All of them chose sides and I am not surprised Tribune also did. The Tribune are in business to make money and they also have the right to survive. If emphasizing the rascalities and criminalities of the ACN rogues is their strategy, then so be it. Whoever does not like it should go and jump into the river.

Those geriatrics criticising Sam's article are not Yoruba leaders, if you canvass the opinion of majority of the under 50 Yoruba people today who are politically savvy and saw a bit of Awolowo when they were growing up as teenagers you will find them linning up firmly behind Sam Omatseye. Please remove his name and substitute my name as the author of the article has been the refrain of the people who read the article and i spoke with. If you regard the Adebanjo's, Fasheuns et.al as Yoruba leaders then you sure don't know what the thinking of the younger generation is.

X-factoria:

You seem to be one of those lose striplings on NL who lack home training. So I will just ignore the insults and take you on on the facts.

Why can't Tribune discredit ACN? Are the people in ACN saints or infallible? This is another hypocrisy that makes your submissions laughable. How did PDP regress the region? That is a propangada that the ACN and Tinubu keep selling to you guys. How did AD better the lives of SouthWest people between 1999 - 2003? Was it Tribune that ask the SouthWest people to kick them out in 2003 when they couldn't deliver?

You said Tribune is thwarting the efforts of ACN. What is Tinubu's The Nation newspaper and the editors of the Punch and other newspapers on Tinubu's payroll doing? Do they sing praises of PDP? How about The Nations several disparaging write ups on Mimiko, Governor of Ondo State simply because he refused to dump his labour party for ACN?? You are clearly naive of Tinubu's mastery of the propaganda game. Some of us who are well enlightened know that there is a thin difference between the PDP and the ACN. We also know that ACN is not about any Yoruba's agenda but Tinubu's own personal agenda. You do not have to agree but ACN is a business entity. Tinubu's business entity.

Truthfully and without prejudice, there is no single newspaper in Nigeria that is not politically bias or that is non-aligned. All of them chose sides and I am not surprised Tribune also did. The Tribune are in business to make money and they also have the right to survive. If emphasizing the rascalities and criminalities of the ACN rogues is their strategy, then so be it. Whoever does not like it should go and jump into the river.

I wonder why you typed this long and irrelevant essay. I can not take you seriously as a sensible, rational observer and purveyor of intelligent reasoning simply because you are speaking and drinking from a well contaminated with your own confessed hatred and animosity against the same people you are talking about.

Going back and forth with you is absolutely pointless since the only thing shaping your thoughts is hatred and dislike.

felele:

OAM4J: Is this allowed on this site?:
Or this?


The above basically insinuates that a 95 year old widow and great-grandmother is "kissing asss", even though she's just lost a daughter. Is this language temperate and considered clean enough for you, given the context?

Have you people have no respect for old age anymore Do you have any plans of growing old at all, or you have all signed a deal with the devil to die young??

OAM4J, I do not appreciate the PM you dropped me at all. How does that note make you different from the tyrants you all abuse on this forum everyday?? I cursed them. Yes. I did because their behaviour deserves curses. I can't descend into the gutter of personal abuse with them, but I can invoke the spiritual consequences of their behaviour. If they amend their ways, and stop abusing vulnerable 95 year old widows, the curses won't work. If they or anyone else for that matter persists or seeks to defend their indefensible actions, let them sleep on their bed as they lay it.

Leaders and public figures are subject to public scrutiny. Their activities and events around them will always be analysed and discussed and we all can not share the same opinion about our leaders. We have different interpretation for their actions. while some will agree certain actions are noble others might think the actions are ignoble and anti-people. But we must all state our point of views without insulting others with contrary point of views.

You are entitled to your opinions and you can make your case in defense of what you consider to be right and true especially if you have the facts at your disposal. But you are not permitted to insult, attack or curse people with contrary opinion. This is not your forum, so abide by the rules.

You went overboard with those curses and I recommended your ban. Pls desist from attacking, insulting and cursing people with contrary view point, else I will recommend the ban of your second moniker.

Thanks.

Pride goes before a fall. Tinubu needs to be careful and learn some wisdom from the elders. If his successes get to his head, the Yorubas will not hesitate to put him in his place. As they say, "Na small shyt dey spoil yansh"!

We in the South-East are watching with interest, about what is happening in the South-West. Let us hope that this is just a war of "words." We do not want to see another crisis that always forces the other regions to get involved. 

Seriously who cares about you and your SE? The SE is the last thing on their minds.

Eko Ile:

Seriously who cares about you and your SE? The SE is the last thing on their minds.

Keep your problems in the South-West. History tends to repeat itself, and we in the South-East do not want to be drawn into your politics. Keep it internally instead of externally.

^^^^Comedy is def' not your thing.

2mch:

Bluetooth yarning dust from ear to ear again, like a regular bluetooth. The woman is going senile, and she managed to come across as more educated, and sane than you and all the people in ACN. . What a disgrace.

Stop tripping over this shitt.I'm a yoruba and I understand fully well my stand on this issue.The fact that the woman is Awo's wife doesn't make her awoist which is what we have seen from her actions before now.
She has dined with the devils in yorubaland and as such lost the respect of those that continue with the cause of her husband.What was she doing with daniel;whom she knew was only looting ogun state as a pdp governor and also what integrity does the woman has when she herself is making friends with Akinfenwa and co who have become mere rubber stamp for pdp's endorsement.We want leaders that can stand for their principles not those that will sell their conscience for political benefits.If Awolowo didn't do that in the 60's,why are the present crop of so called AD leaders doing it now ?

isuomo:

Those geriatrics criticising Sam's article are not Yoruba leaders, if you canvass the opinion of majority of the under 50 Yoruba people today who are politically savvy and saw a bit of Awolowo when they were growing up as teenagers you will find them linning up firmly behind Sam Omatseye. Please remove his name and substitute my name as the author of the article has been the refrain of the people who read the article and i spoke with. If you regard the Adebanjo's, Fasheuns et.al as Yoruba leaders then you sure don't know what the thinking of the younger generation is.

Not even after obj has bought them with money.obj knows them better them us.

EzeUche!:

We in the South-East are watching with interest, about what is happening in the South-West. Let us hope that this is just a war of "words." We do not want to see another crisis that always forces the other regions to get involved. 

Stop taking panadol for another man's problem.what has this got to do with ibo ?

I have been following this stories and honestly this attack by Omatseye on the Awo family is silly and foolish. I hate PDP but we should stop this holier than thou mentality for goodness sake. ACN hobnobs with PDP members when it suits them and attack them when it suits them.

How can we forget the visit of Bisi Akande and Ribadu to the IBB mansion? Is Akala of Oyo state worse than IBB in terms of their bad actions to the south west? Akume is being positioned to become minority leader but Akume is a retired PDP looter wearing a new ACN garb.

Tinubu meets with GEJ when it suits him and all sorts. I personally know two ACN chieftains who are very good friends with some notorious PDP looters like Ibori and co. They wine and dine together and give us a different impression in public.

Tinubu had been friends with Atiku since 2001/2002 while Atiku was still a very powerful VP in the PDP. Why should the Awo family be attacked for hobnobing with PDP governors when their home is open for everyone to visit.

One thing i know for sure is , Tinubu is enjoying his time and soon it will be over. Oba mewa igba mewa lo ni ile aiye

Lagosboy:

I have been following this stories and honestly this attack by Omatseye on the Awo family is silly and foolish. I hate PDP but we should stop this holier than thou mentality for goodness sake. ACN hobnobs with PDP members when it suits them and attack them when it suits them.

How can we forget the visit of Bisi Akande and Ribadu to the IBB mansion? Is Akala of Oyo state worse than IBB in terms of their bad actions to the south west? Akume is being positioned to become minority leader but Akume is a retired PDP looter wearing a new ACN garb.

Tinubu meets with GEJ when it suits him and all sorts. I personally know two ACN chieftains who are very good friends with some notorious PDP looters like Ibori and co. They wine and dine together and give us a different impression in public.

Tinubu had been friends with Atiku since 2001/2002 while Atiku was still a very powerful VP in the PDP. Why should the Awo family be attacked for hobnobing with PDP governors when their home is open for everyone to visit.

One thing i know for sure is , Tinubu is enjoying his time and soon it will be over. Oba mewa igba mewa lo ni ile aiye

Hogwash!! Tinubu and the folks you mentioned are politicians and talking to your opponents is part of politics, even Awolowo as a politician parlayed with his opponents. Tinubu and the people you mentioned won the SW for Yoruba people regardless of their interaction with their opponents.

HID is not a politician and she has no business politicking and carrying water bottle for the same people her husband fought for so many decades to defeat.

The same Tribune HID is the head of used to be the voice of the masses and the oppressed, but under HID, it's the mouthpiece of the oppressors, it's what the oppressors are using to attack Yoruba people and destabilize Yorubaland.

Sure, you dislike Tinubu, but this is not about Tinubu, this is about the Awolwo's family rubbishing Awolow's legacy and destabilizing Yorubaland. A day doesn't go by without the Tribune attacking the ACN, Tinubu and other progressives in the SW on behalf of their PDP benefactors.


I'm really glad their BS is out in the open.

And to add insult to injury, HID and her family are attacking the only people out there upholding her husband's ideal and honoring him and not the same useless clowns she surrounds herself with.



.

.

I support Omatseyes write up

Anyone who dines with PDP is an enemy of the Yorubas