TheCable

Abdulrosheed Akanbi, the Oluwo of Iwo, has berated ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo for asking traditional rulers to stand up to greet Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo.

During the commissioning of a 34.85 km Oyo-Iseyin road in Oyo state on Friday, Obasanjo had ordered the monarchs who were present at the occasion to stand to greet the governor.

“I greet you all monarchs and royal fathers and thank you for coming,” he had said.

“But let me say this, whenever a governor or the president is present, a monarch must stand up to honour the governor or president.

“Stand up.”

Subsequently, the monarchs stood up to honour the governor amid laughter and claps.

The former president said in Yoruba culture, respect is accorded based on one’s age and position and that a governor’s position is higher than that of any monarch.

The development has sparked mixed reactions on social media with some accusing the former president of disrespecting the monarchs.

Reacting to the development, Akanbi said respect is not demanded but earned.

In a statement by Alli Ibraheem, his media aide, Akanbi described the action as “a desecration of traditional institutions from the old man”, and blamed the monarchs for obeying the ex-president.

“I trust myself and my stool. At death, there are certain things my soul will not take let alone when alive, active and kicking,” Oluwo said.

“I only blame the monarchs who stood in obeisance to such an ignoble act and desecration of traditional institutions from the old man. Respects 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.”

Akanbi added that Obasanjo should tender an apology letter to the traditional rulers “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,” he said.

“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 roadside 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.”