Isokan Yoruba Magazine, Fall 1996/Winter 1997 , Volume III No. I, Page 40.
Isokan Un-Plug, By Kayode Adenaiya

Amidst the cry and the popular knowledge of subjugation by the Northern Oligarchy in Nigeria, my people (Yoruba) resist every opportunity made possible by some noble individuals to bring us together and address how to liberate our people from bondage. Every effort is being undermined by the self- righteous individuals amongst us who think that instead of working with people that bring forth great ideas, they would rather see the idea killed because they did not initiate the idea, and more so, they are too timid to be honorable and humble enough to serve under a leadership other than themselves.

I will want to believe that all the demagoguery against Egbe Isokan Yoruba by its detractors is not really because of ideological differences; neither is it due to the fact that they don't like the objectives of Egbe Isokan. It develops from self-serving cronyism for representatives of the junta in Nigeria. I have listened to people alleging Isokan of the following:

Acting in bad faith on behalf of the Yoruba people.

Arrogating to itself the title of Yoruba spokesgroup.

Members are a bunch of idol worshippers.

Engaging in political mongering that is not tough enough to address the political quagmire the Yoruba find themselves in.

Members are an arrogant bunch of self-serving professionals.

Isokan is out to dominate other sub-ethnic groups.

Isokan is trying to break up Nigeria.

To those that accuse Isokan of acting in bad faith, what have they in any capacity done to act in good faith on behalf of the Yoruba people lately, except to cause rancor and bad blood among our people.

Isokan by every definition is a pan-Yoruba organization, and if Isokan can not speak on behalf of the Yoruba I wonder which organization should assume such responsibility.

Members are proud to be Yoruba, and of Yoruba culture, religion, and traditions. If some people find their heritage in Islam or Christianity, I don't think Isokan has problem with them. I wonder why they are having problems with Isokan. Note that Isokan has Christians and Muslim members. (Esin kan ko ni, ki awa ma se oro ile wa o).

Those accusing Isokan of political mongering should check their heads. There is no better time for any noble and highly respected Yoruba son or daughter to be a politician than the present time because those we counted on sold their soul, betrayed their people, and pushed us into the present political quagmire. Therefore, any Yoruba son or daughter who thinks he or she has a leadership quality should proceed and not allow himself or herself to be discouraged by hypocrites, who are trying to secure political favors by discouraging good and able leaders from competing, because they are not credible and confident enough to compete legitimately with good and qualified personalities.

Isokan is made up of well refined and high caliber men and women with impeccable resume and rich experience. They have shown how good and able they are by the kind of self-less service they offer to the association to date and to Yoruba people at large. I will appeal to people with sincere and honest motives to come and work with these men and women. They are not the ones to be wary of; it is their detractors. Good people should come and be a part of a progressive team bonded by the love for their people. Prosperity, liberty and freedom are our legacy. We should be the harbingers of great positive change for Yorubaland and a truly federal Nigeria.

I would have discarded the litany of allegations against Isokan as the vivid imagination of a lazy mind until I realized that it is more than just an irate statement of some lunatics. This is a systematic campaign against a group of well meaning, noble and honorable individuals. Several events took place during the summer which were a fulfillment of the article #2 objectives #1-6 of the Egbe Isokan Constitution. In achieving some of these objectives, an Isokan Yoruba Presidential Advisory Board (IYPAB) was formed to facilitate working with other groups that were wary of "domination" by Isokan. The IYPAB mode of operation is supposed to be a loose relationship between groups to alleviate the fear of any group domination. Hence, Yoruba Picnic Committee was activated and the picnic event was held. Thank God, we were able to pull through without any major set back. This is to say that some committee members were smart enough to allow tranquillity while some were there to kill ideas and ensure that Isokan never had the light of day. Inspite of all treacherous acts and performances, the picnic was held. It shows what we can do if we come in good faith to serve our people.

The latest effort by disgruntled elements against Isokan is the formation of another association, "to take care of Yoruba problems." This shows the hypocrisy of this people, what is the Yoruba problem they want to solve? As we may note, this new organization in the making has been invited by the new Nigerian ambassador to "work" with them and address "Yoruba problems". This is a wing of the government that can not work with Yoruba people at home. Obviously the arrangement is clear, they will be paid to cause rancor and disunity amidst their own kin, they tap dance when the Nigeria Embassy chews their feet: they pretend to be leaders when they are just errand boys of the caliphate master. I can now see the effort by the detractors to pull capable leaders to their own level of shame and dishonor.

My greatest disappointment in the picnic committee of which I was a member was that the picnic event was able to bring together the largest group of Yoruba people ever in the metropolitan Washington are and we failed to awaken the consciousness of the Yoruba community to the plight of folks back home. I will like to mention that this is not an oversight, but a deliberate omission on the part of chairman of the committee who "single handedly" deleted, and considered such a call to the Yoruba people as least required. Efforts made by people who wrote to appeal to the consciousness of our people were deemed as political mongering and dumped in the trash. The campaign at Isokan had always been the inclusion of the grassroots in the decision making of our body politics. We don't want our faith in the hands of some hypocrites that subscribe to deceit, and self aggrandizement. The people with such character lead us into the predicament the Yoruba find themselves today.

In lieu of the circumstances and political quagmire we find ourselves in as Yoruba, I think it's high-time for Isokan to un-plug itself from unworthy individuals and acquaintances that will divert Isokan's energy and attention from its focus. Isokan does not claim to have the ultimate solution to Yoruba problems but Isokan offers a forum for people with nobility of mind, love of their heritage, and concern for the plight of their people back home, to come and brainstorm over these issues and come up with probable solutions. The objectives of the association are sound and well-meaning to every Yoruba and even to all Nigerians at large because the only thing Isokan requests for the Nigerian Federation is fairness, justice, and equal opportunity for all.

I am sure and positive that Isokan still has its door wide open to well meaning Yoruba that are ready to join hands in addressing the quagmire that faces our people at home. If you know you are worthy of Isokan, you will never be found worthless, be sure to find your self on the positive side of history when it is written, don't be caught in the same web of history as one of Yoruba's controversial icons (Afonja) who was too proud and self serving to request the assistance of his kinsmen against an invading jihad army from the north hence losing his enclave (Ilorin) to the Dan Fodios.

Kayode Adenaiya is an Enginner and serves as the Financial Secretary of Egbe Isokan Yoruba.