On Saturday, the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, criticized former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s directive to traditional rulers in Oyo State during Governor Seyi Makinde’s project inauguration in Iseyin. Oba Akanbi viewed this as a disrespectful act towards Yoruba traditional institutions.
A brief video of Obasanjo reprimanding the monarchs for not rising to greet Governor Makinde had circulated online. Oba Akanbi, in a statement from his Press Secretary, Alli Ibrahim, strongly condemned the former president’s behavior and called for a formal apology from him.
Oba Akanbi emphasized that Yoruba monarchs should not be treated as if they are all the same and can be ordered around. He also expressed disappointment in the royal fathers who complied with Obasanjo’s directive.
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.”
