By Yomi Taiwo
ABOUT 23 years ago, the display of high level loyalty, unbendable dedication, unalloyed morality, respect, commitment and a penchant zeal to serve was prevalent in the supreme comradium. Today, the club has deviated from its original status and now at an advanced stage of an inglorious extinction due to the baffling depletion of quality moral standard , greed , avarice , gluttony , demand for money before a show of service , disrespect , power tussle , death of the standard operating procedure , adulteration of rule, distortion of history, spread of fallacy and the capsized comradic ethics. It is sad that things are no longer the way they used to be. Retrospectively, our birth into the conradic family featured an array of painstaking service. The zeal, willingness and readiness to serve was exceptional. It was not about a reward neither was it all about some compensation but absolutely guided towards the ultimate obeisance of the rules and ethics with which we were bound .
Ilyasis, even far into Ijebu Ode, the city of Abeokuta and some other Lagos Chifis, often beckons and the papas call must never be unanswered or placed under some conditional strains. Sadly, many Kutasis willingly ferry to coronations and transformation for a show of kariability on personal cost but blatantly demand for motivation on any invitation to an Obeng. Where is the first hand will to serve? Sadly, so many kutasis are not able to differentiate between Obengs and coronations. To kill the matter, ilyasis now, budget separate fees to import expertise from other ilyasis to grace their ground leaving so many young and willing comrades on the platter as quantity surveyors. It did be good, if such funds were used to sponsor entities to other ilyasis for brief knowledge and onward development of the principal ilya. The crooked walls we built is almost crumbling on the entire polity of supreme conradium at large.
Again, the proliferation of convergence, wicked independence, insubordination or low desire to walk along with the convergence as of old has crippled the progress of many ilyasis. While we enjoyed blissful moments of pairing the “ pomosis with the Agbangs “a lot of young comrades fail to display their God given abilities due to unholy alienation. The big question remains, how many drumitos or songitos did you build or what legacy did you implant in your ilya with your presence or absence? Unfortunately, the obengs are now gone to the convergences. Ilyasis could no longer maintain a purse but now rely on archivals, methuselahs, patronsis, matronsis, senior fellowsis and fellowsis for survival during coronation or transformation. From here , he who pays the Piper dictates the tune. The ultimate will of the chief or sincere voice of the ilya’s oracle is compromised or permanently silenced. Little wonder why we now have half-baked chifiisis and fellowssis with shallow knowledge of the traditional ethics of the club transmitting negative doctrines even unto those who are yet to join the glorious club. Where did we go wrong ?
Some faculty argued that the developmental changes around the world are catalyst to the dastard changes as it is in the supreme comradium. Some argued that the past is gone and there is need to usher in a new age. Others declared that the rules as of old are misplaced and there is need to rewrite our history. This explains the case of a chief who placed his staff of office and every other materials in possession of a female comrade ; abomination! Unfortunately , the forbidden fruit has turned our minds away from the comradic process as of old. Where are we? Things have fallen apart. The vision, purpose of our ancestral fathers who brought the club to life is now dead. We watch while the remains of the club faithfully descend into an eternal abyss. We watch while the fallacies, heresies of the propagandists mutilate our culture. The die is cast and all things now fallen apart.
On countless occasions, there were posters on love gyration. Here, Agbangs come together to wine, network and dine but where is the love? Those who have eyes can see the masqueraded love trending while we say, “unity in diversity.” Did I here someone say dichotomy? I rest my case here .
- Chief Yomi Taiwo was Ilya Olumo of the 2001/2002 keg year
