Abiodun NEJO in this piece examines the lessons and issues in the recent encounter between a former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and some monarchs in Oyo State
The encounter between a former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and some traditional rulers in Oyo State last month has continued to be in the news for different reasons as it has been described variously.
The incident, described as clash of protocol and tradition, has generally been extended to reflect the conflict between the political class, particularly those in power and the traditional institution.
This is especially as the constitution has placed the latter, who are referred to as royal fathers, under the former.
Constitutionally, while the governor approves the appointment, promotion or otherwise of the monarchs, he also presents staff of office to the obas and as well has the power to fire them.
As Nigerians apportioned blames regarding the encounter between the former president and the Oyo monarchs, opinion leaders and observers have however said there is a need to take some lessons away from the unfortunate incident.
Obasanjo was, on the occasion, angry that the traditional rulers, who were already seated during the unveiling of the Iseyin Campus of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology on Friday, September 15, 2023, did not stand up to welcome the governor and his entourage in line with protocol.
The former president, who viewed the monarchs’ action as disrespect, chose to give them a lecture on protocol and the superiority of the president and governor and consequently commanded them to “stand up”. On realising that the traditional rulers obeyed, he ordered them to “sit down.”
No doubt, former president Obasanjo has come under heavy criticisms for the way he addressed and ordered the traditional rulers during the occasion in Iseyin.
Some observers have said the president’s action is humiliating, derogatory and insulting to the traditional institution and the entire Yoruba people.
Although a sociologist at Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Prof. Olayiwola Fasoranti, said “Obasanjo seemed to still be basking in the euphoria that he was president, forgetting that he was no more president by the time he spoke, there were lessons to be learnt in the encounter.
Fasoranti said, “Kings deserve respect and rectitude ordinarily. Even if there was any correction that was going to be made, not publicly and in a humiliating way like that.
“Yes, we have the constitution that places the political officers higher than the traditional officers, in as much as governors appoint kings, but that someone appointed somebody does not mean that somebody is not worthy of respect.
“We call them royal fathers, if you say somebody is royal, I think we should compare them also with the British royals – will anybody do it to a British royal? Those are the things that one would want to actually call Obasanjo to question on.
“But again, Obasanjo has made himself an institution. So, being an institution, he does some things that there will be nobody to be able to call him to question. So, maybe because he has always been basking in the euphoria of authority makes him to talk anyhow”.
The don, who said it was interesting that people have been reacting to the incident, said, “There are two things that we could learn. The traditional rulers themselves have some things to learn about the kind of respect they give to constituted authority. Then people that address people in public also have things to learn.
“Ordinarily if a governor enters any gathering, whoever is there has to stand up, including the kings. If they didn’t stand up at that time, Obasanjo did not need to humiliate them. That is the problem, two wrongs do not make a right.
“But kings should understand that when governor enters a gathering, everybody there, no matter who you are, will ordinarily stand up. It is like when the President enters, if the governor had been inside, the governor will stand up. There are constituted authorities.
“Kings should ordinarily internalise this now so that nobody humiliates them any longer. Standing up for governor in a gathering does not make them to be less royal, but that Obasanjo humiliated them was a bad one in its own. But like I said, two wrongs will never make a right.”
Earlier, immediately after the Iseyin incident, the Oluwo of Iwo in Osun State, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, criticised the former president, telling him that respect should be earned and not demanded.
Oba Akanbi, who pointed out that traditional rulers deserved respect from those they encountered, described kingship as a divine institution that should be treated with utmost modesty, courtesy, and respect.
The Oluwo also expressed disappointment in the monarchs who complied with Obasanjo’s “e dide, e joko” (stand up, sit down) directive on the occasion.
The Oluwo then demanded a formal letter of apology from the former president, arguing that Yoruba monarchs should always be treated with respect.
Other pan-Yoruba socio-political groups including the Afenifere and the Afenifere Renewal Group have condemned the action of the former president, describing it as attack on the obaship institution and insult on the Yoruba race.
The Afenifere Renewal Group, which described Obasanjo’s action as an attempt to rubbish and denigrate the royal institution in Yorubaland, vowed to resist such.
ARG Publicity Secretary in Ekiti State, Michael Ogungbemi, said in a statement that the Yoruba obaship institution was too priceless and venerated to be treated with scorn and opprobrium, adding, “Any attempt, deliberate or otherwise, to ridicule, denigrate or vitiate the kingship institution won’t be tolerated from anyone”.
The group, however, stated, “While what former President Obasanjo did was indisputably condemnable, unconscionable, rude and uncalled for, he could be pardoned on the assumption that he acted in ignorance without considering the import of such brazen impunity.”
This came as another pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, demanded an apology from the former president for reportedly disrespecting the traditional institution.
Afenifere, in a communiqué made available in Akure, the Ondo State capital, said, “We, Yoruba, respect our traditional institutions, the arrowhead of which is our traditional rulers, who, traditionally and spiritually, have acquired the status of deities. It’s not surprising that they are referred to as ‘Igbakeji Orisa’! (second in command to the gods).
“In view of the attempt to ridicule the respected Obaship institution in Yorubaland, Afenifere hereby demands an unreserved public apology to Obas from former President Obasanjo. Our tradition describes who we are. As such, no effort must be spared to prevent the rubbishing of our noble tradition”.
Also the Yoruba Council of Elders and the Concerned Omo Yoruba Worldwide lampooned the former president for his action against the traditional rulers.
YCE Secretary General, Elder Oladipo Oyewole, and Publicity Secretary, Elder Niyi Ajibulu said in a communiqué made available in Ado Ekiti that Obasanjo “should certainly apologise and make restitution.”
They stated, “The YCE takes exception to the humiliation recently meted out to some traditional rulers in Oyo State by Chief Obasanjo upon the claim of status as a former Head of State. This malfeasance constitutes a shameful affront to the dignity of Yoruba tradition and culture and thus stands condemned.”
The Concerned Omo Yoruba Worldwide, in a statement by the leader, Akogun Tunde Omololu, who said there was a need for Obasanjo to tender an apology to the entire Yoruba race, also blamed the monarchs for obeying the former president’s order.
Omololu stated, “It was a real event which left us deeply disheartened. Obasanjo’s actions were profoundly beneath the dignity of our rich Yoruba culture and tradition; they constituted a grave violation and an affront to our cherished customs”.
However, few days after the Iseyin encounter, Obasanjo had, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, said that he stood “firmly unapologetically and uncompromisingly on the position that a governor held the highest office in a state.
“By that position, the respect, protocol and dignity that must be given to the office by virtue of the constitution must not be denied. To do otherwise is to deride the office and the constitution”, Obasanjo had said.
Meanwhile, traditional rulers in Oyo State said they held Governor Seyi Makinde in high esteem contrary to Obasanjo’s belief.
The Deputy Chairman, Oyo State Council of Obas and the Olugbon of Orile Igbon, Oba Francis Alao, said, “I wish to state that the incident is an internal affair which will be properly reviewed at the next meeting of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.”
In a statement, he said, “All the royal fathers involved understand the pain caused by the incident and appreciate the well-placed reactions.
“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 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”, he said.
A professor of Political Science at Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Prof, Femi Omotoso, who said Obasanjo, a traditional chief, was known for the habit of according traditional rulers modicum of respect, wondered what could have happened that day.
Although Omotoso said for Obasanjo to have publicly corrected the obas, which amounted to open rebuke and ridiculing the traditional institution, was wrong, the don said the former president would know how to go about making amends.
“Even, Obasanjo, by prostrating for the Olota of Ota recently, is an indirect way of saying ‘traditional rulers, I revere you, I respect you and I believe in this institution’, it may not be an open thing, there is a way he can do it and show that the action is regretted,” the don said.
Omotoso, who said the Iseyin incident would definitely put the monarchs, who are seen as Igbakeji Orisa (next to gods), down, added, “There is this myth around kabiyesis. If the myth is to be sustained, they should not be treated that way. We are the ones that can promote and project our traditional institution.
“Luckily, Obasanjo is a traditional chief, so, he understands the traditional institution, what it means and the reasons why he should promote and cherish the institution.
“Well, he can apologise and there are ways he can do that. There is a way he can meet with obas and they will reconcile. It may not be an open apology the way people are looking at it, but there is a way he can make statements that will show it”.
PunchNG
