OBASANJO ORDERS OYO TRADITIONAL RULERS TO STAND UP AND ACKNOWLEDGE GOVERNOR

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Olusegun Obasanjo, a former president, ordered certain traditional leaders to get up and meet him on Friday, reinforcing the constitutional primacy of elected officials.

The commissioning of the 34.85 km Oyo-Iseyin Road and the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology’s Iseyin Campus, which houses the College of Agricultural Sciences and Renewable Natural Resources, was the occasion for Obasanjo’s issuance of this directive.

The former president, who spoke in Yoruba, emphasised that it was vital for people to respect elders and those in positions of authority despite the traditional rulers’ status.

He claims that by doing this, the Yoruba Omoluabi tradition will be able to be preserved.

“Thank you. Please, be seated. Firstly, I greet you all monarchs and royal fathers and thank you for coming,” he said. “But let me make something clear: whenever the governor or the president is present, even the royal father must stand up to honour the president (or the governor).”

“Stand up! You can have your seat. Please!!!” he ordered them.

The statesman said, “In our (Yoruba) culture, we honour two main things: age and position. The governor’s position is higher than that of any monarch in as much as he is still the governor”.

He added that it is essential to promote culture and value systems and that, even as president, he respects traditional leaders.

From 1976 to 1979, the retired military officer led Nigeria as its head of state. From 1999 until 2007, he presided as its president.