Chairman’s stance on Ifo as ‘Heterogeneous Land’ sparks fury among Yoruba people

May 14, 2025

By Ayinde Adeleke

The Chairman of Ifo Local Government, Idris Olalekan Kusimo, has found himself at the center of a heated controversy after a tweet that celebrated an Igbo student’s impressive JAMB score while describing Ifo as “highly heterogeneous.”

The tweet, which was meant to promote unity, has instead sparked outrage among Yoruba natives who feel that their chairman is neglecting their interests.

“Are you saying, after giving out free JAMB forms, we should keep quiet about the one who excelled the most, because he isn’t Yoruba? What does that say about our leadership? Ifo is highly heterogeneous, our oath stands to protect all law-abiding residents,” Kusimo tweeted.

Many Yoruba residents have taken to social media to express their disappointment and frustration with Kusimo’s tweet, questioning his priorities and loyalty to the community. “It’s called Local Government for a reason.

This one thinks Ifo is Lagos Island?” one user fumed. Another warned, “These are the words you carelessly throw around that they later use to haunt your people.”

The controversy surrounding Kusimo’s tweet is further fueled by his decision to spotlight a student from a private school while seemingly ignoring the struggles of public schools in Ifo.

The local government is home to over five government primary schools and ten secondary schools, many of which are plagued by dilapidated classrooms, outdated materials, and underpaid teachers.

“How many of those forms went to Yoruba kids from poor families?” asked a market trader in Ifo, who declined to be named.

“We’re not against celebrating success, but why is it always private school students getting the chairman’s applause?”

The selective celebration has left many feeling that Kusimo is pandering to non-Yoruba residents to score political points while neglecting the indigent Yoruba families who form the backbone of Ifo. In 2022, a Yoruba girl from the same private school scored an impressive 321 in the UTME, earning her the title of overall best student. Kusimo’s response? Silence.

“Where was this energy for Precious?” asked a community leader in Matogun. “Is it because she’s one of us, or because her success didn’t fit his agenda?”

Kusimo’s leadership is under scrutiny, with many calling for him to prioritize the needs of the Yoruba community.

“Ifo is Yoruba land,” said a local youth leader. “We welcome everyone, but our chairman should prioritize the people who voted him in. Calling Ifo ‘heterogeneous’ like it’s some cosmopolitan city feels like a betrayal.”

The Yoruba people of Ifo want action, not tweets. They’re calling for investments in public schools, transparency on JAMB form distributions, and a commitment to uplifting indigent Yoruba students. “Celebrate all success, but don’t play favorites,” the youth leader added. “And please, stop with the ‘heterogeneous’ talk. This is Ifo, not the United Nations.”

A teacher at a government secondary school in Ifo echoed this sentiment, saying, “If he’s serious about education, let him fix our schools first. Praising private school kids whose parents pay hefty fees is not the flex he thinks it is.”

The community is demanding tangible results from Kusimo’s administration, rather than just social media optics. As one resident put it, “We need action, not tweets.