The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi Telu I, has slammed former President Olusegun Obasanjo for ‘disrespecting’ the Yoruba traditional institution after a video of him ordering some kings in Oyo State to state and greet him went viral.
In the video, Obasanjo scolded the traditional rulers, saying they should stand and greet whenever a governor or president was before them.
Obasanjo’s reign as Nigeria’s president ended in 2007.
But in a statement issued by his media aide, Alli Ibraheem in Osogbo on Saturday, Oluwo said the former president would never disrespect Emirs in that manner, blaming the Yoruba monarchs present for obeying Obasanjo’s order.
He stressed that he would have disobeyed Obasanjo’s order if he had been present at the event.
The monarch also demanded an apology from Obasanjo for his “condemnable” action.
“I trust myself and my stool. At 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 act 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.
“I’ve strong assurance that such will never happen in my presence and that of some few monarchs I will not mention “Iwo kogba igbakugba”.
“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.
“This action should be a great challenge to the Yorubas, most especially the royal fathers. This is the result when monarchs joined Ogboni confraternity and became junior to a road side mechanical engineer or carpenter.
“As a responsible monarch, you don’t have to join any secret society where you may be controlled by a teacher or even a herbalist,” Oluwo said.