Former OAU VC, Professor Wale Omole, calls for Yoruba unity against external attacks
……says Yoruba people are now a minority in their own territory
August 31, 2024
By Samuel Ogunsona
The former Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), has urge the Yoruba group to unite and fight against external attacks.
In an interview with Nigerian Tribune, Professor Omole emphasized that Yoruba people have been reduced to minority in their own domain, highlighted the importance of self-defense and protection of Yoruba land, culture, and traditions.
Omole, the founder of the Wale Omole Foundation, expressed concern over the attacks on Yoruba people and their ancestral homeland.
He stressed that the Yoruba must say “enough is enough” to these attacks and work towards a united front to protect their interests.
According to him, “A lot of people come to us in the West and we accommodate them because we have no problem with anybody. But we realised that the more we accommodate them, the more pressure they put on us and the more they think that we are foolish. They are buying all our land and doing a lot of things and then we are becoming a minority economically in our own place. The leopard is an animal that usually stays by the riverside. It lies down there, even if you make a lot of noise from morning till night.
“It doesn’t care as long as you do not step on its tail. If you step on its tail, then you will see how stubborn it is; it can tear you into pieces. If we relate that to what is happening or has been happening in Yoruba land, you will realise that the people we accommodated have been stepping on our tails, and we have been peaceful. Why? We think we are the same people and should be tolerant of one another. We decided to protect ourselves, to avoid our people being needlessly killed. We don’t want people to be killed around us, torn into pieces. So, that gave birth to what we called the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN).
“But we are not in charge of the group because we were not given any ammunition to drive away any intruder into our land. We invited some of our leaders, especially the governors, to go to Abuja to seek some kind of protection for us.
“Not that the governors are not trying, but as you can see now, hunger is coming because a lot of our farmers can’t go to the farm anymore. Some even said in some quarters that cows are more important than human beings. In the South West, we said no, that is not who we are. We can’t continue to watch our people get killed and our women raped in the farms.” He said.
The professor also discussed his life, academic career, and administrative experiences, including his tenure as OAU VC. He shared insights into his decision-making processes and the challenges he faced during his time in office.
Omole’s foundation focuses on promoting Yoruba culture, traditions, and values, as well as empowering the community through education and economic development. He emphasized the importance of ethics, common sense, and kindness in building a better society.
The interview also touched on Omole’s personal life, including his 47-year marriage to his late wife and his experiences as a Jehovah’s Witness. He spoke about his commitment to helping others and his desire to make a positive impact on his community.