The Council of Yoruba elders have reacted to fmr President Olusegun Obasanjo’s outburst to some traditional ruler in Oyo State describing it as a taboo.
The group made this declaration in a statement signed by the duo of Dr. Victor Taiwo, Secretary General and Mr Lanre Ogundipe, Publicity Secretary.
Recall that some traditional rulers at an event in Iseyin, Oke-Ogun, Oyo State, on Friday Obasanjo commanded the traditional rulers to stand up and sit down as a sign of respect to the state governor, Seyi Makinde.
Reacting, the group described Obasanjo’s action as an arrant display of megalomania and utter rudeness to crowns in Yoruba land.
The Council said, “It was at this occasion that we saw, through a video which 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 his soldiers.
“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 rupture.
“For one thing, what Obasanjo did was infradignitatem 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 pupil would their teacher”.
