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Opinion : To The Mayegun | By Tunde Busari
In 2001, the then King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal released a song titled STATEMENT. The intro/opening track goes thus:
Ohun taye ba so e da,
Se bohun naa o fi bu e bo dola
Ohun t’aye ba so e da
Ohun t’aye ba so e da
Se bohun naa o fi bu e bo dola
O ba tete, mero naa pa o
Tori ojo iwaju
O ba tete, mero naa pa o tori ojo iwaju u
Bobo nice tan ba so e da
Baby fine tan ba so e da
Se bohun naa o fi bu e bo dolaa
(Translation)
Whatever people turn you to is the same they will use against you tomorrow
You better think right now to escape future regret
If you surrender yourself to human manipulation, you will live to regret your docility in future.
Dissecting the intended message of the excerpt and juxtaposing it with public image of one I always like to call Alhaji K1, one will feel no pain to understand why the Ijebu-Ode son is often a beautiful bride to diatribe from known critics and even a section of his fans.
I have come across reactions of some of his fans who would always spill that though they enjoy what they call his classical fuji because of its simplicity, they don’t like his expressive arrogance which, according to them, fall short of his status as public figure expected to be a role model to younger generation of musicians.
On this social media, if you have the time, the loose time to burn, you will read all sorts of comments-informed, uninformed, ill-informed and outright babanlanonsense. The traffic of words, which accompanied the news of the Mayegun installation in January, pointed to the fact that Alhaji K1 is blessed with fanatical fans and bitterest foes in almost equal percentage. In every 10 comments, six congratulated him while four screamed and highlighted why he was a misfit for that title.
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, the conferring authority, also shared from those disapproval. When I could no longer bear the pressure on me, some hours to the installation, I picked my phone and spoke with Oba Adeyemi who shed light on the matter and also told me how he was unperturbed by the rage on social media.On January 21, just a week after the installation, through Nigerian Tribune, my employer, I published an exclusive interview headlined: ‘Why I made a musician Mayegun of Yorubaland-Oba Adeyemi,’ The first class traditional ruler defended his choice with argument difficult to dismiss, especially with his reference to his previous involvement in similar subject.
When the same Mayegun, the beneficiary of the Alaafin, is now alleged to have turned round and peed inside the palace of the same Alaafin, then there is trouble beyond Covid-19 in the air. I never knew I was, in the public eye, that close to the Alaafin’s palace until messages were descending into my whats app and inbox, requesting me to confirm the toxic story. I replied all the messages with deliberate silence because whatever I would have said would be ‘a palace source’ and would give credibility to the stuff and make a saboteur in me.
Baba Alaafin, in an interview I published last year, had passionately warned Nigerian youths to take advantage offered by social media to expand their knowledge base rather than to dig hole on their path to a promising future. So, while the story was dancing in the sky, he probably was sympatising with the carriers and consumers, knowing that any topic about him is not and cannot be ordinary because he is not and cannot be ordinary among traditional rulers even beyond Yoruba nation.
Back to Alhaji K1’s song in his STATEMENT. The track, which is both advice and sermon, seems to be the principle which he has long chosen to guide his life, regardless of its popularity, acceptability and applause of the public. He loves to do things in his own way and leaves the public to their judgement of his actions. He does not lose sleep whether they smile or gnash their teeth or attempt a dive into the Atlantic. As long as his action aligns with his principle, it’s all correct, borrowing from my former line editor, Mr Wole Efunnuga. In truth, there is no wrong in living your life for your life and not living your life for lives of others. Isn’t that what most of so-called motivational volumes preach?
Even at that, Alhaji K1 should note from this Sunday morning that there is need to subject certain things in his life to review as he steadily climbs older age (63 years, one month) and assumes higher status as the Mayegun of Yorubaland. It is no longer‘to hell with what the public say’, Apala baa jisoro, Solooo Makinde ooo.’
Rather, it is now a matter of reflection, a deep reflection and patient preview of his future. I want him to know that the failure of the current tale is not the end of the matter. In fact, a strategic thinker would see it as impetus for other hawkers to take their turn to also cook another and more damaging stuffs. And when lies are told, retold and retold again, they sound like truth and even transform to truth in the ears of target audience.
It appears that the gang up against him is real, untiring, obstinate and deadly too such that one day, he would be shocked to be stripped of his flaunted political privileges when manufactured (false) evidence of anti-party activities is couriered to the leadership of his party. Aren’t we in the age of photoshop and advanced forgery?
But before it gets to that possible end, he has all opportunity now to turn a new leaf, even though only a fool will daily struggle to satisfy everybody to enter their good book. Okay, was he aware that visual of how he physically molested a hustling photographer of age bracket of one of his sons would one day hit the air to force him into defensive? Did he know how widely the picture was shared? That’s the point. That’s my point!
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday held a high-level strategic meeting with the Oyo State chapter of the party as part of efforts to reposition the APC for victory and prevent internal crisis ahead of the polls.
The development was first scooped by OYOINSIGHT.COM which quoted multiple party sources familiar with the closed-door deliberations.
Sources disclosed that the meeting, held in Abuja, focused largely on a consensus arrangement being considered by stakeholders of the party in Oyo State, in line with political templates reportedly being adopted in Lagos and Ogun states ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Party insiders said the move was aimed at strengthening unity within the fold of the opposition party in the state, minimising rancour during the primaries and presenting a formidable front against rival parties in 2027.
It was further gathered that some members of the state executive committee may have been subtly informed about preferred consensus candidates being considered for elective positions across the state.
Though details of the deliberations were still sketchy as of press time, sources hinted that the national leadership stressed the need for cohesion, discipline and strategic alignment among stakeholders to improve the party’s electoral fortunes in Oyo.
Those at the meeting included the Oyo APC Chairman, Moses Alake Adeyemo; the state secretary, Fatai Adesina Adeniyi; the Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare; the Organising Secretary, Aderemi Adepoju; and the Legal Adviser, Sunday Aborisade.
Others were the Women Leader, Adekemi Opatunde; the Youth Leader, Olalekan Oladejo; Joshua Oyebamiji; Tunde Oloyede; Sunday Babalola; Joseph Omoniyi; and Mojeed Adebayo.
As of the time of filing this report, the party had yet to issue an official statement on the outcome of the meeting.
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, on Monday assured aspirants and party members that the party would conduct transparent, peaceful and credible direct primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Adeyemo declared that no aspirant would be victimised or denied a level playing field, stressing that the party leadership remained committed to internal democracy and progressive ideals.
The former deputy governor spoke while receiving members of the APC Screening and Appeal Committees deployed from the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja at the APC Secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan.
He disclosed that although the party initially explored consensus arrangements across elective positions, prevailing realities indicated that direct primaries would be conducted in some areas, including the governorship contest.
Adeyemo said the party had already put necessary structures in place to ensure a hitch-free exercise capable of strengthening unity within the APC.
He said: “We set machineries in motion for us to achieve the aim of consensus across board but reports available to me indicate that we would have to go by the second option which is direct primary in certain cases including the governorship ticket.
“To this end, we shall work towards organising free, fair and credible exercise in all the affected areas even as we cannot rule out the possibility of some aspirants having a rethink and supporting the consensus arrangement as necessary.
“Where we have more than an aspirant, Abuja would send people to conduct primaries and we at the state level would provide the required support to make everything work out in the interest of our great party.”
The APC chairman explained that all registered party members would participate fully in the exercise at their respective wards on dates to be announced by the National Secretariat.
According to him, affirmation would be adopted in areas where consensus candidates emerge, while voting would be conducted wherever direct primaries become necessary.
“For consensus, members will lend their voices for affirmation while voting will be done in the cases of direct primary,” he added.
Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Screening Committee and former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Taofiq AbdusSalam, assured party faithful that the committee would carry out a thorough, transparent and unbiased screening process.
He said only eligible aspirants would be cleared to participate in the primaries and eventually fly the APC flag in the forthcoming elections.
Other members of the Screening Committee are Kamal Sanusi (Secretary), Smart Oluwole, Tunde Kolade and Olabamiji Agunloye.
Members of the Screening Appeal Committee are Jibola Oduwole (Chairman), Abimbola Jack (Secretary) and Jelil Jimoh.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress on Saturday zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria, declaring that the party’s candidate would serve a single four-year term if elected.
The decision was reached during the party’s national convention held in Abuja amid growing momentum within the opposition platform following a wave of high-profile defections from other political parties.
Announcing the development on its official social media handle, the party stated, “NDC presidential ticket is zoned to the South!!”
The party also resolved that its 2031 presidential ticket would be ceded to Northern Nigeria as part of efforts to maintain regional balance and internal equity.
The convention comes as key opposition figures, including former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former New Nigeria People’s Party presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, joined party leaders and delegates at the Abuja gathering.
Saturday’s convention is expected to ratify several recent decisions taken by the party’s National Executive Committee, including zoning arrangements, amendments to the party constitution, and the election of new national executives.
According to the convention agenda obtained by journalists, discussions centred on zoning, ratification of the amended constitution, and leadership restructuring ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The NDC has in recent weeks witnessed a surge in defections from rival opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
On Tuesday, no fewer than 17 members of the House of Representatives defected from the ADC to the NDC.
Their defections were formally announced during plenary at the House of Representatives.
The lawmakers include Yusuf Datti, Uchenna Okonkwo, Adamu Wakili, Thaddeus Attah, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Orogbu, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, Peter Aniekwe, Mukhtar Zakari, George Oluwande and Munachim Umezuruike.
Others are Emeka Idu, Jesse Onuakalusi, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, Afam Ogene, Murphy Omoruyi and Abdulhakeem Ado.
The defections came barely two days after Obi and Kwankwaso formally joined the NDC from the ADC.
The duo were presented with the party’s membership cards last Sunday shortly after a closed-door meeting with party leaders.
A former Governor of Bayelsa State and NDC national leader, Seriake Dickson, officially welcomed the opposition figures into the party.
Obi had attributed his exit from the ADC to worsening internal crises, external interference and what he described as increasing hostility within party structures.
The former Anambra State governor said Nigeria’s political environment had become increasingly toxic, marked by intimidation, insecurity and sustained scrutiny of opposition figures.
He also lamented that institutions meant to protect citizens were now often deployed against them, while individuals committed to genuine public service faced mounting pressure both publicly and privately.
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