What makes the Yoruba tick (8), By Sunday Adelaja

The 2023 elections is a watershed moment in our history as a nation. Odds were clearly against the current president who was then had been out of any elected political position for 15 years. In his party’s primary he even had some of his lieutenants and disciples standing against him. There were powerful top brass of his own party trying to stop him from advancing to the coveted position of Nigerian president.

Understanding Yoruba Political Sagacity: Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a Case Study

But despite all the odds that were stacked against Bola Ahmed Tinubu he still managed to wrestle power from some formidable opposition candidates from other parties.

It is no accident that it is his personality I’ll be using as a case study for this particular topic of Yoruba political sagacity. He will provide for the readers a wonderful illustration of how the Yoruba play their own type of politics. If you’re ready, let us dive into the study of this fascinating subject

Yoruba political sagacity is a deeply rooted, strategic, and often pragmatic approach to power, negotiation, and governance, largely shaped by historical experiences and a refined value system. It is characterized by high levels of maturity, patience, and a preference for diplomacy over confrontation, often prioritizing long-term interests over short-term emotional responses.

Key aspects of Yoruba political sagacity include:

The political sophistication of the Yoruba is rooted in their traditional system, which was centralized yet filled with checks and balances to prevent tyranny. The 19th-century experiences and the leadership of figures like Chief Obafemi Awolowo further refined a political culture that emphasises, “life more abundant” through modernisation.

In essence, Yoruba political sagacity is a mix of traditional institutional wisdom and modern strategic maneuvering designed to maintain relevance and power within the larger Nigerian project.

Yoruba political sagacity refers to a sophisticated blend of traditional governance principles and modern strategic pragmatism. It is characterised by an emphasis on checks and balances, internal consensus, and the art of negotiation over direct confrontation

Ancient Yoruba political systems, notably the Oyo Empire, were not absolute autocracies but functioned as constitutional monarchies with deep-seated institutional checks.

In the modern era, “sagacity” is often used to describe the Yoruba elite’s ability to navigate the complex Nigerian state through strategic maneuvers rather than emotional reactions.

* Negotiated Power: A core principle is that “power is negotiated, not assumed.” This is evidenced by pragmatic alliances with other regions (such as the North) to secure national leadership roles.

* Elite Consensus: Yoruba leaders often engage in intense internal debates but strive to present a cohesive bloc externally. This “Elite Consensus Culture” strengthens their bargaining position

Now dear reader, allow me to now use the example of Bola Ahmed Tinubu to illustrate all these lessons and principles of the Yoruba cultural philosophy.

Let me also point out that my using the example of Tinubu in this article does not mean political partisanship or campaign. It is strictly to draw your attention to how the Yoruba play their politics. For this Tinubu example is the newest and most vivid example of my points above

Understanding how Bola Ahmed Tinubu built his network is one of the clearest real-life examples of long-term power construction in Yoruba land and Nigeria.

This wasn’t accidental it was deliberate, layered, and strategic over decades.

Tinubu’s network didn’t start in politics.

Education and International Exposure

He first built economic and professional credibility before political ambition.

Tinubu plugged into an existing elite structure, not starting from zero.

This is where everything changed.

Tinubu became Governor of Lagos in 1999.

He built his network by recruiting and empowering people who later became powerful:

He created loyal protégés across sectors

After leaving office, Tinubu didn’t lose power, he expanded it.

Tinubu played a central role in creating:

He partnered with northern political forces to support:

He was instrumental in positioning:

the result of a 30+ year network-building strategy

Tinubu’s model also comes with:

But from a pure strategic standpoint, it is:

one of the most effective political network models in modern Africa.

Tinubu didn’t just build a network.

If you pay attention dear reader you’ll see that in the first part of this article I first listed the principles that have guided the Yoruba race through out their political evolution.

The basic principles of the Yoruba race affect all their endeavours through all spheres of human existence. Hence the effectiveness and pragmatism we see in Bola Ahmed Tinubu is clearly coming from his Yoruba upbringing and influences.

However, Tinubu improved on these principles and refined them for maximum effectiveness. As a politician history will have to study Bola Ahmed Tinubu to discover what makes him tick.

In my next article(Part 9), I’ll be reflecting on how the Yoruba culture is redefining music and entertainment industry globally. For The Love Of God, Church And Nation

Sunday Adelaja is a Nigerian born leader, transformation strategist, pastor and innovator. He was based in Ukraine