Yoruba group urges monarchs to strip Obasanjo of all traditional titles
Yoruba World Congress (Worldwide), a socio-cultural and pressure group of Yoruba heritage, has requested Yoruba land’s traditional rulers to deprive former President Olusegun Obasanjo of all chieftaincy titles bestowed upon him with immediate effect.
The group also urged traditional rulers to boycott any event where he (Obasanjo) is present or has the authority to use the microphone in the future.
OURNIGERIA recalls Obasanjo commanding certain traditional rulers to stand and sit at a function in Iseyin, Oyo State on Friday, September 15, 2023.
Following public pressure, the previous president was ordered to formally apologize to the traditional rulers.
The group has however advised the traditional rulers to strip the elder statesman of all the traditional titles bestowed on him without delay, over his failure to tender an apology.
The group in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Stephen Ajayi enjoined the traditional rulers not to honor any invitation not noble for the position they occupy and to speak with one voice concerning the prestigious cultural heritage and the respect it deserves.
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The group in the statement made available to DAILY POST on Monday, called on the National Assembly to enact a law for the creation of a ministry for the traditional rulers.
“We in Yoruba World Congress Worldwide (YWC) established in the UK by this open letter, reject and dissociate ourselves from the actions of Obasanjo and call for a revisit of the constitution as regards the traditional councils.
“We hereby call on the Federal House of Representatives and the Senate to as a matter of urgency create a Federal Ministry for the Traditional Rulers attached to the Presidency, to manage, secure, and sustain our cultural values and heritage. This should have nothing to do with the State or ministries in the state so that our Royal Fathers can get back the respect they truly deserve.
“We have waited patiently for Olusegun Obasanjo’s sincere and remorseful public apology to the traditional rulers (our Obas/Kings) present at the event and to the Yoruba race as a whole for defying our cultural heritage in an embarrassing and inhuman manner publicly, which was never tendered. YWC hereby advise our Kabiyesis’ to:
“Walk out of any event that he (Obasanjo) is present or has the power to use the microphone. Not honor any invitation that is not noble for the position they occupy going forward.
“Speak with one voice concerning our prestigious cultural heritage and the respect it deserves. Strip Obasanjo off all Yoruba Chieftaincy titles bestowed on him with immediate effect”.
