OBASANJO’S 50-YEAR WAR AGAINST YORUBALAND — From Olutoye’s Retirement In 1977 To The Plot Against Tinubu In 2027.
Let us go back to memory, because a people who forget history will repeat it.
1. WHO IS GENERAL OLUTOYE?
The Alani of Ido-Ani, Oba Olufemi Olutoye, retired as a Major General in the Nigerian Army in 1977 and became King in 2014.
This is not an ordinary soldier. He entered Government College Ibadan in 1945, got admission to the University of Ibadan in 1950 and graduated in June 1954, and also attended Cambridge University. He is described in all history books as one of the first graduates to join the Nigerian Army.
His family is excellence itself. His son is Prof. Oluyinka Olutoye, the world-famous surgeon in America who operated on a baby inside its mother’s womb — first in medical history.
In 1977, this man was Federal Commissioner for Youth, Sports & Social Development under Obasanjo’s military government. He went to Obasanjo as a Yoruba elder and told him: “Sir, remember South West in distribution of amenities and projects.”
What did Obasanjo do?
The book “Just Before Dawn” (1988) recorded it. Obasanjo asked him: “Can you repeat this before my second-in-command, Brigadier Shehu Yar’Adua?” Olutoye, being a principled soldier, repeated it.
That afternoon, he heard on radio that he had been retired.
He was compulsorily retired in 1977 by the General Olusegun Obasanjo regime. Because he asked for development for his own people.
If Obasanjo could punish a Yoruba Major General with Cambridge degree for asking for amenities for Yorubaland in 1977, what do you expect him to do for the common Yoruba farmer in Ijesha?
When Obasanjo became President in 1999, Oba Olutoye warned Yorubas: “Obasanjo won’t do anything for South West.” We called him a hater. But history proved him right.
2. 1979 — THE FIRST BETRAYAL
We all know the role Obasanjo played to give power to incompetent Alhaji Shehu Shagari over Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the most prepared Yoruba leader ever. Awolowo had plans, had vision, had free education blueprint. Shagari had none. But Obasanjo chose Shagari.
That was the first time a Yoruba man in power traded his own people for applause from the North.
3. 1999 TO 2007 — 8 YEARS, WHAT DID YORUBALAND GET?
For 8 years as President, Obasanjo established ZERO new federal university in the entire South West.
Check the record. The Federal Medical Centre, Owo that people mention was not built by him. It was originally built by Ondo State Government but taken over by the Federal Government in 1989 and made an FMC with pioneer Board appointed in June 1993.
He met FMC Owo on ground. He met FMC Ido-Ekiti already approved.
For 8 years, Yoruba children were travelling to Ilorin, to Sokoto, to Maiduguri for federal university admission because their own son in Aso Rock did not remember them.
Now look at what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done in just 3 years:
– Federal University of Technology and Environmental Studies, Iyin-Ekiti, Ekiti State — 2025
– Federal University of Agriculture and Developmental Studies, Iragbiji, Osun State — 2025
– Tai Solarin Federal University of Education, Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode — upgraded 2025
– Federal College of Education, Ilawe Ekiti
– Federal College of Education, Iwo, Osun State
In 3 years, Tinubu has given South West what Obasanjo refused to give in 8 years. Is that not enough to tell you who loves his ethnicity?
Won nfi iku we oorun. Why compare death to sleeping.
4. THE RIGGING MACHINE
Obasanjo became the Head of State who rigged the most elections in Nigerian history.
2003: Governorship, Senatorial, House of Reps, House of Assembly — all rigged in South West to destroy AD. A man rigged against his own Yoruba party to give his party PDP South West.
2007: He rigged again, and the man he rigged for, late President Musa Yar’Adua, came out and confessed that the election that brought him was flawed. Even the beneficiary was ashamed.
It was Tinubu and his legal team who began forensic legal confrontation in courts that led to reversal of stolen mandates in Edo, Ondo, Ekiti and Osun. If not for Tinubu, Yorubaland would have remained PDP colony till today.
5. THE FINAL INSULT — COMMANDING OBAS TO STAND UP AND SIT DOWN LIKE SCHOOLBOYS IN OYO STATE
If you still doubt Obasanjo’s hatred for Yoruba culture, remember September 15, 2023 in Iseyin, Oyo State.
At the commissioning of the College of Agricultural Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University, Iseyin, Obasanjo took the microphone and publicly ordered all Yoruba Obas present to STAND UP and SIT DOWN.
“Eyin Kabiyesi, e dide! E joko!”
Royal fathers who have spent decades on the throne, custodians of Yoruba tradition, were commanded like primary school pupils because Governor Seyi Makinde was present.
Where in Yoruba culture does a former President command Obas? Even a sitting President does not command an Oba to stand. The Oba represents the ancestors. You greet an Oba; you don’t order him.
That day, Obasanjo did not just insult those Obas; he insulted the entire Yoruba institution. And to this day, he has never apologised. He said he did it because the Obas did not respect the Governor.
Is the Governor bigger than the stool?
Obasanjo is a great Nigerian, yes. He is a great international statesman, yes. But he has never been a friend of Yorubaland.
He punished Olutoye for asking for Yoruba development in 1977.
He punished Awolowo in 1979.
He punished AD in 2003.
He punished the South West by denying it a federal university for 8 years.
And in 2023, he punished our Obas in Oyo by making them stand like his subjects.
Today, the same man is leading a coalition to bring down a Yoruba President who is finally remembering Yorubaland and the whole of Nigeria.
Yorubas, open your eyes.
A man who didn’t build for you when he had power for 11 years (3 years military + 8 years civilian) is now telling you that the man building for you in 3 years isn’t good.
Nothing could better be called selfishness indeed.
