On Friday, September 15, 2023, the people of the South Western States of Nigeria were made to face the postcolonial reality of the desecration of the monarchical authority, when General Olusegun Obasanjo, former Nigeria’s president was intoxicated by his stature to ridicule some Yoruba Obas in Oyo State. The desecration occurred at the the inauguration of a 34.85 km Oyo-Iseyin Road and the completed Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Iseyin Campus, which houses the College of Agricultural Sciences and Renewable Natural Resources. Obasanjo looked straight into the eyes of the monarchs present and ordered them as Military Generals or primary school teachers to rise and sit (E DIDE, E JOKO).
According to information, the ex-military head of state and two-term president, who was angry that the kings were on their seats when he and the state governor arrived at the venue of the inauguration, lectured the royal fathers on the need to respect the culture and give honour to whom honour is due. According to him, the kings, who are the custodians of culture should know that it is a tradition in Yoruba land that age and position must be respected in line with the Omoluabi ethos. Their refusal to stand for him and the governor signaled lack of respect for him as a former president who is advanced in age to some of them and the governor, who is the number one citizen in the state. His words, “In Yoruba land, there are two things that are most respected among others: age and position. When a governor is still in power, he’s more powerful than any king. Even when I was President, I prostrated for kings outside, and when we went inside, the kings would prostrate for me. So, let’s always celebrate our culture.”
The attitude of Obasanjo towards the monarchs has irked most of the Yorubas and has continued to generate controversies as the majority of the Yorubas consider Obasanjo’s action as effrontery and ignoble toward the kings, arguing that culturally, Oba is superior to any other man in the land. It is argued that Obasanjo’s attitude was informed by an alien civilisation that colonised the country, which has relatively brought the well-established monarchical government to the low ebb of the society. Traditionally and culturally, it is an abomination for a king to prostrate for any individual, no matter how high in the society, thus, Obasanjo’s revelation that kings prostrate for him in secret is a taboo that can be liken to a person eating the forbidding vulture in the secret and coming out to announce it in the public, consequentially, he will bear the brunt.
A school of thought has argued that the incident was not accidental saying that Obasanjo came to that occasion to take his pound of flesh on some of the kings who had offended him in the past. Among the obas that the ex-soldier has been looking for ways of rubbishing in the public is Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Olusola Alao, who doubles as the Vice Chairman, Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs. During the last presidential tussle, Olugbon berated Obasanjo for supporting Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Olugbon also publicly doubted if Obasanjo was really a Yorubaman, projecting him as of Igbo descent.
Among those who knocked Obasanjo for the assault on the traditional rulers is the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation known as the Council of Yoruba Elders (CYE) with the mandate to protect the glory and dignity of the Yoruba race in all ramifications called for an immediate public apology from Obasanjo for berating Oke-Ogun traditional rulers at public functions. The organisation led by the former Super Eagles Coach, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, in a press statement, condemned the action of the former President and demanded a public apology from him to the concerned Obas.
The statement issued and co-signed by the Secretary General of the organization, Dr. Victor Taiwo and the Publicity Secretary, Lanre Ogundipe reads, “We write with great pains of the heart and regret of immeasurable quantum to imagine the ugly incident that occurred at Iseyin, Oyo State yesterday 15th September, 2023 on the occasion of the road and LAUTECH Iseyin Campus commissioning ceremony by the Oyo State Government where Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was invited as the Chief Guest of Honour. It was at this occasion that we saw, through a video that has gone viral, Chief Obasanjo acting like an adept overwhelmed by the spirit of Sango celt repugnantly vituperating and lambasting the large congregation of our Obas in attendance and commandeering them in the utmost contemptuous and denigrating manner to rise, and sit down like an Army General would to his soldiers.”
According to the statement, “When we saw this video, it initially occurred to us as a fictional movie. But when it dawned on us that it was a reality, lo and behold, it was a scene that could burst one’s lachrymal gland into a rupture. For one thing, what Obasanjo did was infra dignitatem to our Yoruba culture and tradition. It was a taboo. It was an arrant display of megalomania and utter rudeness to our crowns in Yorubaland. The position of our Obas could be discerned from their appellation as the Igbakeji Orisa (Second in command to the deity). And so, that the desecration of our Obas has come from a person of the status of Obasanjo whose Yoruba identity is under question is a great shame and denigration of the Yoruba culture and tradition.”
“We, therefore, condemn this dastardly act from Obasanjo in all totality and so, we call for his public apology to all the disgraced Obas and the entire Yoruba people by extension. While we condemn the arrogant act of Obasanjo, we also feel ashamed and let down as well by all the Obas in attendance who kowtowed to the command of the lesser mortal as a pupil would their teacher” The statement concluded.
Also, the Oluwo of Iwo, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Abdul Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, Telu I, described Obasanjo’s action against traditional rulers in Oyo as a desecration of Yoruba traditional institution, noting that Obasanjo cannot do it to emirs.
Oluwo, in a statement stated “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 the Ogboni confraternity and became juniors 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”, he concluded.
A group of Iseyin natives, Ebedi Frontliners, Iseyin (EFI), demanded an apology from Obasanjo for the Obas, saying his outburst has caused global disrepute to the image of the monarchs and affected their collective psyche.
Ebedi, in a statement, said, “We, on behalf of true Yoruba sons and daughters, are using this medium to call on the former President of Nigeria 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 and himself climbed the podium at yesterday’s commissioning of the LAUTECH’s College of Agricultural Science and Renewable Natural Resources, Iseyin.” We want it to be on record that with this action of the elderly politician and supposed statesman, we expect his apology soonest, and if he fails to do so, we will want him to know that he is not welcome to step into any of the Oke-Ogun communities. We did not benefit anything from his eight-year reign as Nigerian President; why would he come here to shout on our Obas? Those that know him well to give him candid advice should tell him to immediately tender an unreserved apology to the monarchs.”
In its reaction, the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said Obasanjo acted in bad faith and in clear demonstration of his vindictive tendencies.
According to the Publicity Secretary of the party, Olawale Sadare, Obasanjo’s verbal assault was not accidental or coincidental but premeditated, scripted and purposely delivered as a prize to people who had defied him on his mission to enthrone Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party against the popular choice of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC in the last presidential election.
The Party, in a statement, stated, “We recall that one of the monarchs on seat appeared on some private radio stations during the electioneering and mobilised support for Tinubu who won the election eventually. This did not go down well with the former president who is known for his vindictiveness and he used the opportunity handed down to him by one of his loyalists (Gov. Makinde) to hit back at his target. We condemn in strong terms the conduct of Chief Obasanjo, who threw decorum to the wind on account of being a former president and chose to desecrate the rich culture and tradition of the Yoruba people. By assaulting the monarchs who were at the occasion on invitation, the Owu-born former military dictator has shown to the world that he was not worth his status as a statesman, title chief and leader on the African continent.”
“It is on record that despite ruling Nigeria for a combined period of 12 years, Obasanjo did not make a significant impact on the lives of the people of Oyo State as the best he did (and still does) was removing an elected governor of the state and refusing to add value in the areas of infrastructure, wealth creation and empowerment of our people. So, the good people of the Pacesetter State do not hold him in high esteem, and they expect little or nothing from him even if he has another opportunity to become president again in the future. However, there is a pertinent question begging for an answer regarding the choice of Obasanjo as the chairman of the occasion at the instance of Governor Makinde. The simple truth is that the whole scenario has further exposed the hypocrisy of Governor Makinde who has done everything possible to claim the glory of President Bola Tinubu’s victory in Oyo State in the February 25 presidential election. How can you be loyal to two opposing characters in a political contest at the same time? It is obvious, Obasanjo is anti-Tinubu and Makinde is also pro-Obasanjo while we watch keenly as the governor continues his tricky game in the political space”, the statement concluded.
Dr Kayode Akinsola, a legal practitioner and public analysist has berated Obasanjo for ridiculing the traditional institution saying that Obasanjo erred both in law and the rich culture and tradition of the Yoruba by his action. According to him, there is no constitutional provision or an Act of law that requires traditional rulers to stand up or sit down against their wish because a governor or president appeared at a public function or took the podium to address a gathering.
According to him, if Obasanjo had come from a royal family in Yoruba land, he would probably not have acted the way he did in Iseyin.
In the same direction, a Political Scientist, Dr. Adekunle Alaye, described Obasanjo’s action as condescending, undermining, and desecration of the Yoruba traditional institution.
The political scientist noted that Obasanjo’s remarks were a product of colonialism and cultural imperialism in post-colonial African states, stressing that after the British imperialists captured Nigeria, they undermined the traditional institutions in Lagos, Benin and other places, describing Obasanjo’s replication of the same in Iseyin as “vacuous.” He said, “Obasanjo’s vacuous display, no doubt was a regurgitation of colonialism and product of cultural imperialism where in those days with the deceitful introduction of the British system of “indirect rule” in 1914, following the Amalgamation of the region’s as one entity, subjected traditional rulers to the imperial dominance and control of the British.
Also, a Yoruba Welfare Group (YWG) warned Obasanjo to stop insulting the Yoruba Obas and desist from rubbishing the traditional institution or risk prosecution or banishment from Yoruba land.
Speaking for the Group in a statement, its National President, Abdulhakeem Adegoke Alawuje, stated that the former president appeared confused about Yoruba tradition, otherwise he would not have in one breath asked the Obas to stand up to greet him and in another breath say the Yoruba should respect age and position.
The statement reads, “It is a known fact that Obasanjo is coherently incoherent as well as consistently inconsistent. Hence, the best we can do for him as Yoruba is to help him save his face. How do we do this? We should stop inviting him to important gatherings of such. It is obvious Baba Iyabo is suffering from old age, and we must assist him to stop disgracing himself in public. Even when Obasanjo was still agile, active and somewhat self-aware, he was never consistent. Obasanjo was the man who supported former President Goodluck Jonathan against former President Muhammadu Buhari, but within four years, he switched gear and supported Buhari against Jonathan. And as he did to Jonathan, just before another four-year term, Obasanjo turned against Buhari to anoint his arch enemy, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.”
“Again, before the expiration of another four years, Obasanjo had turned against his anointed Atiku to endorse Peter Obi of the Labour Party. The same Obasanjo who announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party and tore his PDP Identity card publicly, severally went back to his vomit, floated Third Force and campaigned for Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party. He simply refused to play the role of an elder statesman. No doubt, Obasanjo is the perfect example of hypocrisy. Is it not the same Obasanjo who goes to churches to kneel for prayers and laying of hands? Is it not the same OBJ that prostrated for Ooni of Ife and Olu of Warri who are his grandson’s mates? So what has changed? If he prostrated for the Obas, why should he now ask the same Obas to rise for a governor? After all, in his incoherent speech, he said he prostrated for traditional rulers even as a sitting president. So why scolding the royal fathers for not standing up for the governor who will seize to be a chief executive officer in less than four years?”, it concluded.
Justifying his action, Obasanjo said that he stood by what he said because it was constitutional, stressing that Obas are even inferior to the local government chairmen talkless of a governor. Obasanjo said that he stood firmly on the position that the governor of a state holds the highest office in the State adding, “By that position, the respect, protocol and dignity that must be given to the office by the virtue of the Constitution must not be denied. To do otherwise is to deride the Office and the Constitution.”
Obasanjo, in an exclusive interview with Premium Times, said he ordered the traditional rulers to stand during the occasion because they refused to do so during his arrival alongside Governor Seyi Makinde at the event as well as when the governor mounted the podium to read his address, pointing out that the refusal of the traditional rulers to stand was a disrespect for Governor Makinde and a breach of protocol. He said that the former President said he later learnt that the Obas have always shown disrespect for the Governor and that’s why he decided to correct them at the occasion.
However, Ms Taiwo, Obasanjo’s Wife, in a statement titled, Oyo Kings: A Plea for forgiveness”, has begged all Yoruba worldwide to forgive her husband for berating Yoruba obas. She begged “for permanent and eternal forgiveness and pardon from all Yoruba sons and daughters worldwide, fathers and mothers, youths, teenagers and children, Christians, Muslims, traditional worshippers, all leaders in Yoruba land and the Council of Kings in Yoruba land.” While begging the traditional rulers to not “avenge on any of us the misdeeds of Daddy Obasanjo”, Taiwo said she was appealing with humility as a mother.
The statement reads; “This is my stand on the manner Chief Olusegun Obasanjo addressed the Kings at Iseyin at the road inauguration by Governor Makinde of Oyo State on Friday, September 15, 2023. As a legitimate member of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s family, l would like to state publicly worldwide and privately that how Daddy Obasanjo addressed the monarchs is not acceptable to God, to the Yoruba race and to the throne of Kingship and it must not be repeated again by any leader in Yoruba land. Daddy Obasanjo should not have treated the kings with open contempt and humiliation in order to correct them and reveal their secret that they bow for him privately. It is not good at all. It is too humiliating. Protocols could have corrected them privately and respectfully, humbly with love and friendliness. The only infallible person is God. God Himself is known as the King of kings and mortals too speak up to God when there is a misunderstanding of His intent. An example was when God in annoyance wanted to destroy the Israelites in the wilderness, Moses had to speak up and beg God not to destroy them. Another example was when Cain after killing his brother Abel, God pronounced terrible judgment on Cain but Cain pleaded with God that the punishment was too much and unbearable for him, that anyone who sees him will kill him.”
She said, “God listened to Cain’s appeal despite his horrible act of murdering his brother… etc There are many examples in the Bible of men speaking up to God, but they spoke not in arrogance or self-justification but in humility and remorse. God Himself sent his priest to King David privately to correct him with respect for his error when he killed Bathsheba’s husband. God didn’t humiliate King David because of his error and because He is Almighty God, God still accorded respect and honour to a mortal king he created and crowned when he erred. Monarchy is an institution God Himself established before any political government came up to manage the affairs of men. I want to publicly state here that on behalf of the family, the children, the wives, the grandchildren and all members of the family of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, l am offering a big and genuine apology both spiritual and physical to all the kings of Oyo State, all the kings of Yoruba land and the entire Yoruba race both in Nigeria and Diaspora.”
According to her, “Please, l beg for permanent and eternal forgiveness and pardon from all Yoruba sons and daughters worldwide, fathers and mothers, youths, teenagers and children, Christians, Muslims, traditional worshippers, all leaders in Yoruba land and the Council of Kings in Yoruba land. Please l humbly appeal with all humility don’t avenge on any of us the misdeeds of Daddy Obasanjo. I am a full Yoruba woman married to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for over 40 years and l have two children for him both male and female. I am a grandmother. I do not support the humiliating treatment of the kings of Oyo State by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. Let history bear my record that l came out to apologize to the Oyo kings and Yoruba land on behalf of the family of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.”
Reacting to the plea made by Ms Taiwo, Obasanjo swiftly disowned her, saying that he stands by his action and that the woman only has two children for him, she is not his wife.
In a statement by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, on Monday, Obasanjo expressed annoyance that “one Ms. Taiwo Martins” has authored a statement, appealing to Obas and Yorubas to forgive him as her husband. While conceding that he and the woman gave birth to two children, Obasanjo stressed that she is not his wife, neither is she a member of his family.
The statement reads, “For the records, Ms. Martins has two children, Jonwo and Bunmi, for Chief Obasanjo but to say emphatically she is not his wife nor a member of the Obasanjo family. Her posturing as Chief Obasanjo’s wife is false and that of an impostor. Nobody makes a statement on behalf of the Obasanjo family except Chief Obasanjo or people delegated by him to do so. The state of health of Ms. Martins is known to all and sundry and whatever she says or does has nothing to do with Chief Obasanjo as an individual or the Obasanjo family as a whole.”
Supporting Obasanjo’s action is Dare Adeleke, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former General Manager of the Oyo Pacesetters Transport, saying that the action of the ex-president was right.
The statement reads, “As they say, there is no smoke without fire and if I must use another cliché, they say, Respect begets Respect. Former President Olusegun Obsanjo’s reaction to the Oyo royal fathers’ disdain for constituted authority must be commended by all Nigerians. Royal Fathers are appointed by their people as tradition demands and their role includes giving wise counsel to their clans and unifying the land rather than separating it either for selfish reasons or personal gain. Royal Fathers are expected to be neutral working with the government of the day to ensure peace and harmony but what we have now are fathers who dabble into politics and make clear inflammatory statements. It is highly unacceptable in a country crying for peace, for a royal father or royal fathers’ to be fanning the embers of discord.”
According to the statement, “Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo was very correct when he asked them to stand up for the governor of the state, Governor Seyi Makinde. The ex-president had noticed the clear breach of protocol exhibited by the traditional rulers at the event. As he has said in his interview, the laws of the land transcend their traditional titles. Protocol demands that everyone stands in respect of the governor who represents the state when he goes into a venue. Oyo Royal Fathers disrespectfully remained in their seats as noted by Ex president Olusegun Obasanjo. It is highly condemnable to show such contempt for constituted authority. It has become a practice for them to be unruly and to remain seated while the Governor of Oyo State walks into a venue. That was not the first of such truancy. Governor H.E Seyi Makinde is humble and respectful but his humility should not be taken for foolishness. The gentility a tiger displays does not imply that it is timid nor that its tail can be toyed with.”
“The sad fact is that Oyo Monarchs in question have abandoned their roles as Royal fathers’ and shamefully embraced division giving and granting all kinds of interviews which are capable of inciting the public. Why would the Olugbon of Orile – Igbon for example, grant an interview that would shame his ancestors? In that interview, he implied that Olusegun Obasanjo may be an Igbo man because he has sympathy for Igbos and rubbished another statesman who has served Nigeria diligently, Chief Bode George. What manner of banality is that? What exactly has the Olu of Orile–Igbon contributed to Nigeria as a nation that gives him the right to degrade men who have stood for our country where it mattered? I believe that henceforth, Oyo Monarchs should be guided in their behaviours and utterances. They should forge for peace and unity among our people and realize that respect is reciprocal. They should understand that their positions are also subject to the governor’s magnanimity. A word is enough for the wise, they say”, the statement concluded.
Also, a Yoruba group known as Maja-Maja led by Adesina Akinpelu defended the ex-president saying the former president was merely correcting the Obas on protocol.
Describing Obasanjo as a Yoruba political leader of our time, who should be given his due recognition, Akinpelu said Obasanjo might appear to be too blunt as a result of his military background, those who have political scores to settle with him within the Yorubaland should not be allowed to cause unnecessary disaffection between the former President and the monarchs.
Reacting, the Deputy Chairman, Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Olushola Alao, described Obasanjo’s outburst and disrespect to the traditional institution as political, saying that Obasanjo’s action was a retaliation for their refusal to support Peter Obi’s presidential ambition, which Obasanjo pushed for.
Oba Olushola Alao said in a statement, “Let it, however, be well noted that traditional rulers in Oyo State have no regret in supporting Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Governor Seyi Makinde in the last election, and will be willing to support them even in the future. This is the clear position of monarchs in Oyo State. Any other information from anywhere that is contrary to this should be disregarded.”
Olugbon described the incident as an internal affair that would be properly reviewed at the next meeting of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
He said, “Let me assure all Yoruba, and other well-meaning Nigerians who have respect for the traditional institution, and who feel concerned about the incident that our silence since Friday is not an act of cowardice. When we sit down with the Governor and hold our next meeting, we will review and respond appropriately. Our Governor respects us, and traditional rulers in Oyo State also hold him in high esteem. I, therefore, sue for calm over this issue. We want everybody to apply decorum in line with the Omoluwabi ethos for which Yoruba are greatly respected. Ile Yoruba land shall remain peaceful. Our unity is sacrosanct. This ethos must reflect in our day-to-day activities.”
Following this development is the reaction of the apex Yoruba indigenous organisation, Igbimo Apapo Yoruba Lagbaye, who stripped Obasanjo of all the traditional titles bestowed on him by Yoruba monarchs. This was contained in a letter signed by Aare Oba Oladokun Hassan, President, Yoruba Council Worldwide/Oba Aale Aje Obatala Agbaye, Ile-Ife.
The letter stated, “We see your disrespectful statements at the commissioning of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Iseyin Campus, and had commanded kings from Oyo State to stand up and accord you respect (and subsequent defense in Premium Times); to the arrays of first-class Royal Fathers and other leading Obas like toddlers of a village headmaster of Army General talking profusely at his foot soldiers in a most depressing, disparaging and disrespectful manner.
They said, “We reiterate as the leading Vanguard voice for all Yoruba indigenous people globally, we have an eternal duty to preserve the anesthetic distinct Omoluabi ethos, Royal Stools and ancestral customs and traditions of the Yoruba Obaship, precipitating our earlier demand for immediate apologies within three (3) days which you deliberately ignored blatantly. We shall further commence strict legal action at a court of competent jurisdiction for defamation and scandalous libel accordingly. Furthermore, we shall mobilize all market women, youths and leaders of thoughts for onward sanitization compliance to our declaration forthwith.”
