By Ken Afor
Renowned monarch, Oluwo of Iwo, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, Telu I, is demanding an apology from former President Olusegun Obasanjo over what he termed as a desecration of traditional institutions in the Yoruba land.
It would be recalled that Obasanjo, a former military head of state was in Oyo on Friday on invitation of the state governor, Seyi Makinde, to commission some roads in Iseyin.
He mounted the podium and ordered some Yoruba traditional rulers in Oyo State to stand up and greet him.
Obasanjo, who was president for eight years between 1999 and 2007 rebuked the traditional rulers and told them to show respect wherever a governor or president is in their midst.
Weighing in on the matter, the monarch disagreed with Obasanjo’s disposition, opining that the former leader ought to have shown some respect when addressing traditional rulers.
According to the monarch, kingship is an institution of God, relating with kings should require some level of modesty.
“I trust myself and my stool. At death, there are certain things my soul will not take, let alone when alive, active and kicking,” he was quoted saying in a statement by his media aide, Alli Ibraheem.
Further according to the monarch, “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 uniformed 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.”
The monarch averred that Obasanjo would not try Friday’s incident with northern emirs.
His words: “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 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.”
