By Daniel Edu
The Yoruba Council Worldwide (YCW) has strongly condemned former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s actions during a recent event in Iseyin, Oyo State, where he scolded traditional rulers for not standing to greet Governor Seyi Makinde. The YCW characterized Obasanjo’s behavior as sacrilegious and disrespectful to the Yoruba people.
In a video that circulated online, Obasanjo was seen chastising the monarchs for not showing what he considered proper respect to the governor, describing their actions as disrespectful to the office of the governor.
The Yoruba Council Worldwide President, Oba Oladotun Hassan, expressed deep concern over this incident during a press conference held in Abuja. He described Obasanjo’s actions as embarrassing and a blatant abuse of traditional royal rulers. He called on Obasanjo to issue an apology or face potential traditional and legal consequences.
Hassan stated, “Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has since left the corridors of honor, while we reiterate as the leading vanguard voice for all Yoruba indigenous people globally, we have an eternal duty to preserve the aesthetic distinct Omoluabi ethos, royal stools, and ancestral customs and traditions of the Yoruba Obaship, precipitating our demand for immediate apologies by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo within the next three days or face untold traditional and legal reprisal consequences, not limited to filing action at a court of competent jurisdiction for defamation and scandalous libel, while we shall call for stripping him off of all chieftaincy titles conferred on him by any Yoruba monarchs.”
The YCW Secretary General, Siyanbade Adekanmbi, also called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure that Obasanjo is held accountable for his actions. Adekanmbi emphasized the importance of preserving and protecting Nigerian royal institutions and called for the establishment of a National Council of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs to ensure the continued respect and roles of traditional leaders.
The YCW’s stance reflects its commitment to upholding Yoruba cultural traditions and values, while demanding respect for the Yoruba royal institutions.
