Yoruba socio-cultural organization known as Council of Yoruba Elders (CYE) with the mandate to protect the glory and dignity of Yoruba race in all ramifications led by former Super Eagles Coach, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde has called for immediate public apology from the former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for berating Oke-Ogun traditional rulers at a public functions.
Recall that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a Chief guest of honor at the commissioning ceremony of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Iseyin Campus was reported to have tongue-lashed the traditional rulers from Oke-Ogun Axis of the state that graced the occasion, over what he termed disrespect to ‘constituted authority’, because they failed to stand up when the governor and himself climbed the podium for their addresses.
CYE in a press statement issued over the development condemned the action of the former President and demanded for public apology from him to the concerned Obas.
A copy of the statement issued and co-signed by the Secretary General of the organization, Dr. Victor Taiwo and the Publicity Secretary, Mr. Lanre Ogundipe made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Capital city of Oyo State on Saturday read as thus, “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 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 to 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 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 pupil would their teacher.” The statement concluded.