By Yemi Adebisi, Acting Head, Literary/Arts
Former Chief of Defence Staff, General Alani Akinrinade (rtd), will lead eminent Nigerians to Agip Hall, MUSON Centre, Lagos on Thursday, April 17 for the public presentation of a book, The Yoruba Elites and Ethnic Politics in Nigeria: Obafemi Awolowo and Corporate Agency written by Dr. Wale Adebanwi.
Published recently by Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (UK and New York, USA,) the book is a definitive text on the political movement and parties led by the sage and premier of the Western Region.
Joining Akinrinade, the chair of the presentation is National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the chief presenter; Chief Awolowo’s ‘Jewel of Inestimable Value’, Mama HID Awolowo as the mother of the day and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade as the father of the day.
The host governors are Dr. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos.
The special guests of honour include Governors Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo, Segun Mimiko of Ondo, Adams Oshiomhole of Edo, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, Rochas Okorocha of Imo and Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano.
The guests of honour are Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, General Adeyinka Adebayo (rtd), Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Segun Osoba, Chief Olu Falae, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, and Otunba Niyi Adebayo.
Executive Editor of TheNews, Kunle Ajibade, is the book reviewer while Deputy Editor-in-Chief of TELL Magazine, Demola Oyinlola, will be the MC.
The Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) and the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, Lagos, are the joint hosts of the presentation ceremony which commences at 11 a.m. prompt.
The book investigates the dynamics and challenges of ethnicity and elite politics in Nigeria. It is the first authoritative, scholarly book on the political elite of one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa.
In its examination of how Chief Awólow? re-made Yorùbá history in modern times, the book combines the perspectives and disciplinary methods of anthropology, historical sociology and political science.
Adebanwi, who was a public affairs journalist in Nigeria for many years but now an Associate Professor at the University of California-Davis, USA, demonstrates how the corporate agency of the elite transformed the modern history and politics of the Yorùbá.