Did Gov Makinde mention “Wetie?
Dear Editor,
Did Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State actually mention “Wetie” at the opposition parties’ summit in Ibadan? The video clip says “Yes.” The context says maybe. But history says he shouldn’t have. We all must be careful of what we call back from the grave. What “Wetie” was for those not yet born might be like a Yoruba epic, but it’s not. “Wetie” means to wet him, soak him and burn him to ashes.
That was not a slogan; it was a death sentence passed on political opponents in the Western Region between 1964 and 1966. Houses were doused with petrol and set on fire. Party leaders were hunted in broad daylight. Ibadan, our Ibadan, became a map of burnt roofs and unmarked graves.
The violence was not random. It was the ugly child of a rigged 1965 election, of a regional government that lost legitimacy, of federal forces that chose sides. By January 15, 1966, the soldiers came to rescue the nation from “Wetie.” They stayed for 13 years! “Wetie” was not a metaphor. Not a meme. It was blood and ashes Let’s compare the Governor’s age with the weight of words.
Governor Seyi Makinde was born on December 25, 1967. Wetie ended in January 1966. Makinde did not hear the screams. He did not smell the fume. He did not run from OkeAdo to Mokola because a car with party flags turned the corner. That matters. Because historical memory is not inherited. It is learned.
And when a leader who was not there casually invokes the language of that era, two things happen: the old remember with trauma, and the young misremember with excitement. At the opposition summit in Ibadan last week, the Governor reportedly said: “If they try what they did in 1964, they will see ‘Wetie’ again.” If true, it was a poor choice of warning.
If taken out of context, it is still a dangerous phrase to leave hanging in the air of the same city that once choked on its smoke. With the negative effects of “Wetie,” no one should use it as a metaphor of any sort. Ask them in any state in the South West. Ask the families in any part of Yorubaland with a sense of history, “Wetie” did three things that still hurt us: one, it killed politics, birthed coups.
When ballots got burnt, bullets took over. Nigeria lost its First Republic not to ideology, but to arson. We have had 33 years of military rule since then, all traceable to the day we chose “wet him” over “vote him.” Two, ‘Wetie” criminalised opposition. After “Wetie,” to oppose was to risk your roof. That culture has not fully died, especially in Ibadan.
It is why today, some governors still see local government autonomy as treason. Why opposition rallies are tear-gassed. “Wetie” taught us that the other party is not a rival, but an enemy to be soaked. Three, “Wetie” stained Ibadan. For decades, the political capital of the West was called “the city of brown roofs. ”
Some brown might be from rust, but many were from fire. Investors took their money to Lagos. Scholars took their books to Ife. Committed stakeholders spent 30 years rebuilding trust in the city’s politics. Makinde’s uncensored word can undo that. Makinde is right to defend electoral integrity.
Perhaps what he could have said and what I think he meant, even when he wanted to warn against rigging, is that “we will resist it.” Not at all mouthing the word “Wetie.” The Governor should use history as a vaccine, not as a weapon. The 1960s are not a playbook. They are a cautionary tale. Governor Makinde was not born when “Wetie” happened.
That is not his fault. But he now governs the city where it happened. That is his responsibility. Neither he nor any political leader of worth from the Axis should mention “Wetie,” unless it is to mean “Never Again!” No one should invoke the ghost unless it is to be laid to rest.
Because the day Ibadan forgets “Wetie” is the day Ibadan risks “Wetie.” And of course, Oyo’s neighbours will also inhale the smoke. We say “No” to “Wetie!” Segun Dipe, the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) writes from Ekiti State.
Prioritising citizens’ welfare
Dear Editor,
The essential role of a vibrant leader is to make adequate provision for his followers by securing their lives and property in a well-secured atmosphere. The fact is that the country is lagging in both life security and food security.
It is a pity that what our political leaders recently announced as a welfare package an emergency minimum wage on top of regular monthly salaries cannot mitigate the ongoing hardship at all. Essential commodities are skyrocketing daily owing to the hike in fuel pump prices across the country.
The critical issues prominent in the national dailies are defections from one political party to another ahead of the 2027 general elections. Politicians are expected to set their motives right in all ramifications, because the masses expect them to eradicate poverty in the country before the forthcoming elections.
Another priority is to find lasting solutions to insecurity across the country, as nobody will vote in a hostile atmosphere. An entire community in Kwara State has abandoned its houses and farms owing to incessant killings of residents by bandits in the region. The affected residents cannot participate in the forthcoming elections until peace is restored in that area.
Those aspiring for lofty public offices should prioritise the welfare of the public whenever they occupy positions of authority across the country. Michael Oladimeji writes from Ibadan, Oyo State.
Nigerian media professionals can’t afford to sleep on the AI edge
Dear Editor,
Let’s be honest: the Nigerian hustle is exhausting. From journalists chasing leads in Ikeja to creators struggling to stay consistent online, burnout is real. For many, Artificial Intelligence (AI) still sounds like science fiction or a shortcut for academic dishonesty.
But for media and communication professionals, it is neither. It is fast becoming an essential tool one many are already using, often without realising its full potential. Globally, the shift is clear. A 2024 Microsoft/ LinkedIn report found that 78 per cent of AI users at work rely on personal tools because organisations are slow to adapt.
The Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2024 notes that audiences are largely indifferent to AI as long as it improves content quality behind the scenes. Even at the policy level, there are signals of change. Nigeria’s National AI Strategy (2024) suggests growing institutional awareness of AI’s economic and professional relevance.
For media practitioners, the era when access depended solely on major platforms or influential backers is fading. Today, a creator with a smartphone and data can produce work that rivals established media outfits. The real advantage, therefore, lies not in the technology itself but in how it is used. Dorathy Jizurumba writes from Lagos
Before the 2027 elections…
Dear Editor,
Statesmen think of the next generation; politicians think of the next election. “Ironu ko papo, Adio n ronú láti fi igi adaro dá’na, igi adaro n ronú láti wó pa Adio” priorities differ. Adio is thinking of collecting the suspended dead tree branches as firewood; the dead tree is seriously thinking of falling on Adio and killing him.
In Nigeria today, our political leaders no longer talk of giving dividends of democracy to the populace; what concerns them most is how to win the general elections in 2027. It is rather unfortunate that the politics of ideology has been buried. Many strange bedfellows are seen jumping from one political boat to another, regardless of their strained relationship in the past.
One begins to doubt if it is all for the good of Nigeria and Nigerians. But when will the new order evolve in Nigeria? When will the poor breathe? Who is deceiving whom? The answer to the last question is that the deceived know, but they have no power to challenge the establishment. Economic and political powers rest with a few among us.
The few also hold the hilt of our proverbial sword; thus, they control virtually everything. When they grow old, they pass the baton to their children. And that is why today, we continue to have generations of the same families in our affairs since 1960. Nigerians are suffering amid plenty, while the larcenous few among us corner our commonwealth.
Some of them are richer than the country. Many Nigerians no longer trust the ruling class; they see the majority as kleptomaniacs. In fact, many, including this writer, doubt if that amalgamation of opposition parties has any magic in its armoury. The amalgamation is believed to be a heterogeneous collection of political propagandists.
Yes! Many of them have failed us time and again. It is not known if a leopard would change its spots. What Nigerians need now is not big grammar; neither do they need unfulfilled promises. What they need are dividends of democracy. The 2027 general elections will come and go like others before them.
We do not want our best to be in the past again (A kò fẹ́ mọ́ fi ọdún yìí ọdún mọ́). We need good roads, quality education, good healthcare, affordable transport, and uninterrupted power. We need security. We need them; we deserve them. Adelani Olawuyi writes from Obada/ Odooba, Oyo State.
