National Telescope national telescope newspaper
Bose Adelakun |
The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, on Saturday, blamed the traditional rulers for obeying the ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo when he ordered them to stand and greet Governor Seyi Makinde, at a project inauguration in Iseyin, Oyo State.
A short video of Obasanjo, who spoke in Yoruba language, had surfaced on the Internet, expressing displeasure to the monarchs for not rising to greet Makinde, describing the action of royal fathers as disrespectful to the office of the governor.
Obasanjo said in Yoruba, “I greet the kings and chiefs here sitting; I am grateful that you are here. Let me say this: wherever the governor is or the president, the king has to stand up, stand up.”
“In Yoruba land, there are two things that are most respected among others: age and position. When a governor is still in power, he’s more powerful than any king.
“Even when I was president, I prostrated for kings outside, and when we went inside, the kings would prostrate for me. So, let’s always celebrate our culture.”
Reacting, Oba Akanbi, in a statement signed by his Press Secretary, Alli Ibrahim, condemned the former president’s action.
He insisted that Obasanjo must appologise for his action.
The statement partly read, “I trust myself and my stool. In death, there are certain things my soul will not take let alone when alive, active, and kicking. I only blame the monarchs who stood in obeisance to such an ignoble and desecration of traditional institutions from the old man. Respect should be earned not demanded.
“Traditional rulers respect their subjects too. There is a way respect is accorded to people of old age and position by monarchs. Kingship is an institution of God. As such, relating with kings requires a high sense of modesty, courtesy, and respect.
“The display by the former president of Nigeria, General Obasanjo was an affront, an intentional desecration and sacrilege against revered stools of Yorubaland. An injury to one is an injury to all. Yoruba traditional rulers are not uniform men anyone can command at will. I don’t blame him, those royal fathers who stood up to obey such an embarrassing direction are to be blamed.
“The show by the former general is condemnable. Yoruba traditional institutions demand an apology for the open desecration to molest and bring down the institution. He needs to prove himself as a core Yoruba man with an apology letter. Kings are not toddlers. We are fathers. He will never dare that against the Northern Emirs.”
