The Secretary General of the Yoruba Council of Elders, Dr Kunle Olajide, who was a medical student at the University of Ibadan during the Western Region’s political crisis of the early 1960s which snowballed into what came to be known as ‘Operation Wet e’ has recalled with trepidation how Operation Wet e plunged the then Western Region into turmoil and large-scale destruction of lives and property, which eventually ended the First Republic.

Olajide says everything must be done to prevent a re-enactment of such orgy of violence in the South-West as supporters of some presidential aspirants have started making incendiary comments ahead of the 2023 presidential election

He said, "I was a student at the University of Ibadan. I was around in Ibadan then. I saw what happened. It’s a long time now but I don’t pray we witness such again. It was horrible.

"Those controlling the Federal Government at that time wanted to force Western Region’s citizens to align with them. That was what led to the wanton killings and destruction of property in the entire region.

"There was (the late) Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola and there was (the late) Chief Obafemi Awolowo. There was the Action Group and the Nigerian National Democratic Party and, of course, the Yoruba were pro-Awolowo hundred per cent and they saw Akintola as a traitor, who was going to sell them to the northerners. Yoruba people were solidly behind the Action Group led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the then Federal Government wanted to use the federal might to compel victory for their own party, which was in the minority. That was what provoked some people in the Western Region at that time to begin to set ablaze houses, vehicles and human beings.

"They targeted the tiny supporters of this minority group in the region and that was what basically caused Operation Wet e and the region was thrown into an orgy of violence," he said.

According to him, Awolowo and Akintola in the same political party before the crisis. He said, "Yes, they were. Chief Akintola was the spokesman for the Action Group. He was a first-class orator, very fluent in English and Yoruba. Their relationship was very cordial. They were best of friends. In fact, at political campaigns, all that Chief Awolowo did was to mount the rostrum and the crowd would shout: “Up Awo! Up Awo!” With his characteristic victory sign, he would turn round and that was the end. It was Chief Akintola, who would mount the campaign podium because he was a very good orator – a very good orator who understood Yoruba language inside-out and English language too. He would mount the rostrum and would thrill the audience for 30-45 minutes. They were that close.

"Their wives were merchants, trading in clothing and so on. But when Satan wants to do his things, something will just happen. I don’t want to jump into conclusion but at that time we believed that money issue between the wives because of their trading really started the division," he added. (Story adapted from The PUNCH)

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