- By Kamil Opeyemi
The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba AbdulRasheed Adewale Akanbi, on Saturday said the former President Olusegun Obasanjo would not order him around the way he allegedly did to some traditional rulers in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Friday.
NPO Reports that Obasanjo had commanded the traditional rulers present at a ceremony to stand up for him and sit down immediately.
The video of the scene, who has gone viral, has caused controversies, with many condemning Obasanjo for allegedly desecrating the Yoruba tradition and dragging monarchs on the floor.
Reacting, Oba Akanbi, in a statement signed by his Press Secretary, Alli Ibrahim, condemned the former president’s action and demanded a letter of apology from him.
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.”