DEFINING A CAUSE
Preamble
Master-plan is the product of an informal Think-Tank composed of true sons and daughters of the Yoruba race, and primarily established for the advancement of the Yoruba tribe especially in the present political scheme of the country. It is a group of eminent Yoruba sons and daughters who are freely associating for the realization of the dream of the great sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo (of blessed memory. Going down memory-lane, it was in the late 1950s, at the height of Nigerian’s independence struggle, when Pa Awo spoke to Oduduwa sons to be united in the family of “Ijo Iparapofun ilosiwaju Yoruba”(Union for the advancement of the Yoruba Race) he prophesized would be their main weapon, sooner or later, for capturing political power in Nigeria.
The Mater-Plan therefore is primarily intended to device means of undermining any opposition to the Race’s ultimate goal of power control as well as map-out strategies that would guarantee the success of our common political target. It is noteworthy that despite our advantage in early education, control of civil service, better grip on the economy and an advanced infrastructural facilities, the lack of direct power control has denied us the opportunity of putting in place a grand mater-plan that will justifiably lift the privileged Yoruba tribe permanently above all others. Although the present generation of the Think-Tank effectively took-off late 1985, the present Association has been effective since the late 70s, precisely on the eve of the second republic. We are however, able to make our sponsorship and membership, and indeed our meetings a guarded secret so that we do not jeopardize our operation through an undue publicity.
The Questions
It is a universaily acclaimed fact that of all the ethnic groups in Nigeria, Yoruba is the most advantaged in terms of qualitative education which places it a century ahead of its rivals. We have produced great politicians, layers, economics educationists and so on, which collectively have been the pivot of the nation’s development but we are always short of producing a democratically elected leader in the country, not because we are not the most qualified, but because half baked conservative exploiters use the advantage of number to unduly lord themselves over us. So the questions are, why should we control the economy only for others to enjoy it? What is so wrong with us that we cannot lead Nigeria? If we can, how? If we can’t, why not?
Attempted answers
We firmly believe that we possess the requisite qualifications as well as the potentials for leadership in this country. We believe our people are better educated, more exposed and well-polished to handle the delicate challenges of leadership of this country. Our people are better educated, more exposed and well-polished to handle the delicate challenges of leadership of this country. Our people have excelled in all professions and vocations available in our polity. We believe one on one, no tribe in Nigeria, not even the so called Hausa/Fulani, can match our numerical strength that would significant determine the tide of success in any free and fair democracy; more so, that the so many tribes erstwhile lumped with the Hausa/Fulani, are now fast breaking away in search of their unique individual identities. Not only that, there seems to be greater awareness about the exploitive nature of the Hausa/Fulani clique either as an oligarchy or as a modern political class, since through their greedy and continued hold on power, they have exposed their inadequacies and foibles as a class that is unqualified and as such, unworthy of the leadership of especially a great country like Nigeria. In finding solutions to the leadership riddle. The Think-Tank was put into motion and re-coded Yoruba Solidarity Forum. At its maiden meeting of 24th September 1985, a consensus was arrived at for a five-Action programme which in summary composes of:
To identify Yoruba leaders that qualify as potential candidates for presidential election context.
Prepare a long term programme for covert and overt campaign strategies
To identify and co-opt or conscript potential non-Yoruba friends to support the Yoruba presidential bid.
To map-out strategies of trapping Baangida’s government into carefully planned mistakes and blunders that could serve as tools of discrediting the regime for a smoother Yoruba solitarily campaign.
To identify all possible obstacles for removal and neutralizing, as well as tools of campaign that will enhance achieving the ultimate goal (see annexure 1).
Qualities of A potential Candidate
Our detractors often regard the Yoruba race as a personification of greedy ambition, for which we could sacrifice even out last drop of blood to get the leadership of this country. The cynical remark of the Igbo warlord. Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, while signing the condolence register of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in which the described the late papa as “The best president Nigeria never had”, epitomizes the ridicule in which the two other dominant tribes (Igbo and Hausa Fulani) hold us with. Our resolve therefore is to identify a candidate that will pass the test of all challenge in achieving our set goal. Such candidates should e symbolic of the typical Yoruba agenda, but with added advantages of exceptional brilliance, sound educational background, transparent honesty and polished enough to stand shoulders above all others in his class. In identifying such potential candidates therefore, four qualities were adopted as criteria:
Such candidates should be of reasonable age (not too old or too young for comfort)
His level of material comfort (should be rich enough to withstand the financial demands of campaigning)
Level of influence in relation to his social status
His conviction to the racial superiority of the Yoruba (see annexure)
After sifting through all forwarded names, a list of thirteen was finally accepted (see annexure 3) for consideration as potential candidates. However, of the thirteen, Chief Olu Falae was considered to have better credentials that made him worthy of such Yoruba collective support for the president. He was therefore contracted and briefed on the decision of the Yoruba elders to back him as the unofficial Yoruba candidate for the presidency.
Grooming Chief Falae
Having conceded to the proposal of the Yoruba Elders to start early preparations for the presidential contest, Chief Olu Falae was then asked to start making all necessary contacts. Meanwhile, Grant Advertising, a public relations outfit based in Surulere, Lagos, was contacted through one of tits directors, J.K. Randle, to prepare and groom Chief Falae for the tasks ahead (see annexure 4). A proposal was therefore prepared and adopted (In strickt confidence) prominent items in the proposal were.
To source for finance which could come through;
Unofficial levels and taxes on key Yoruba figures;
Savings from the fallout of carefully planned extra earnings from his office
Funds from foreign friends.
To take advantage of his office in scheming out President Babangida by taking away all the credit of the good work of the government and pushing over the blame (real or imagined) on the president whenever he finds the right people he regards influential and gullible enough to believe him. (see annexure 5, P.20 para. 36).
To use his office in influencing placement of Yorubas in strategic government positions, who will be relied upon at the appropriate time to use government organs and machinery in helping the cause of Yoruba presidency.
The emphasis has all along been not to care about time or money but the workability of the Master-Plan. And as the plan was discreet and the contract, a selected few, we were positive that the possibility of a leakage was virtually nil. We were prepared to wait for a thousand years so that our carefully mapped out strategies will be allowed to mature and bear fruits. This is what led us to the next stage.