Oyo Monarchs: Yoruba Obas Forum Demands Obasanjo’s Public Apology

• Kazeem Badmus

A group, Yoruba Obas Forum, comprising royal fathers from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara and Kogi States, has demanded a public apology from the ex-President, Olusegun Obasanjo over the manner he ordered monarchs present at a project inauguration in Iseyin, Oyo State last Friday.

OSUN DEFENDER reports that Obasanjo, at the event, had berated the monarchs for refusing to rise to welcome the governor of Oyo State, Mr Seyi Makinde, noting that the action of the royal fathers was tantamount to disrespect for the office of the governor.

But the Forum, in a statement signed by its President, the Molokun of Atijere in Ondo State, Oba Samuel Adeoye, and the General Secretary, who is also the Olukotun of Ikotun-Ile in Kwara State, Oba. Abdulrasaq Abioye, obtained in Osogbo on Tuesday, said Obasanjo’s outburst was an affront and an intentional desecration of revered traditional stools in Yorubaland.

The statement further read in part, “On behalf of the entire Yoruba Obas, we are using this medium to call upon the former President of Nigeria (Obasanjo) to immediately apologise to monarchs from Oke-Ogun zone for his undeserved remarks over his claim that they failed to stand up when the governor (Makinde) and himself climbed the podium at the inauguration of LAUTECH’s College of Agricultural Science and Renewable Natural Resources, Iseyin.

“The Forum also noted that even if the Obas at the occasion acted in breach of The Act of Precedence of 1999, Obasanjo should have noted it in his speech rather than scolding them like pupils or military recruits.

“We think respect should be earned, not demanded. An injury to one is an injury to all. Yoruba traditional institution is not like a military setup that anyone can command at will.

“We condemn this act by Obasanjo and we call for his public apology to all the disgraced Obas and the entire Yoruba people by extension without further delay.”