Former minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has called out former president Olusegun Obasanjo over a viral video which showed him commanding traditional rulers to stand up in honour of the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde at a recent function in Ibadan, the state Capital.
The former President had in the video argued that a serving President or Governor is superior to any traditional ruler and should be accorded with due respect.
OBJ maintained that even though he used to prostrate for traditional rulers in the public while still in office as president, the monarchs did returned it in the private.
“I greet the kings and chiefs here sitting; I am grateful that you are here. Let me say this: wherever the President or governor is, the kings present must stand up to honour him.
“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 former president said.
Reacting to the video, FFK in a tweet shared via his official X handle on Saturday challenged the elder statesman, describing his behaviour as a desecration of the Yoruba cultural values and an insult to the people and its traditional institutions.
"I am deeply saddened and utterly mortified by the way in which former President Olusegun Obasanjo lambasted our reverred traditional rulers in Oyo state and "ordered" them to "stand up" and "sit down" as if they were children.
"This is the same OBJ that, once upon a time, displayed his respect, humility and I daresay greatness by bowing, kneeling and prostrating before our monarchs, even when he was President, yet today he talks to them as if they are his garbage collectors and orders them to jump up and down like a molue driver talking to his beleaguered passengers and a motor park tout talking to a bunch of jobless and worthless underlings.
"Many think that the whole thing is some kind of joke but I do not. We must not take it lightly and the truth is that by doing what he did he has spat on all our faces.
"His words and behaviour are a desecration of our values and a grave insult to the Yoruba people and our traditional institutions.
"I am constrained to be gentle and restrained in my criticism of Baba OBJ on this and so many other issues because of the undying love, respect and reverence I have for him. This is all the more so given the fact that I proudly served in his Government.", he stated.
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