Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday charged traditional rulers in Yorubaland to work towards promoting mutual respect among themselves rather than engaging in unnecessary rivalry. The former president gave the charge while speaking when the 41st Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, paid him a courtesy visit at his Hilltop mansion in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital.
Obasanjo who condemned the supremacy battle often witnessed among Yoruba traditional rulers, also urged that monarchs in Yorubaland ought to jealously guard the honour accorded their offices rather than glorifying the “I am greater than you in throne” syndrome among themselves, an attitude he said had caused setback for the race over the years. He however, tasked Yoruba Obas across the land to always prioritise good governance and welfare of their subjects rather than the engaging in any unnecessary rivalry among themselves. His words: “I think what is more important is to give good governance to the citizens and also have mutual respect for ourselves.
When I was president and even now, I usually accord respect to all presidents, particularly the ones with small populations. “I do this because I realise that no matter how densely populated a country might be, it has the same one vote at the United Nations just as a country with smaller population. “For instance, Nigeria with a population of about 180 million, has the same one vote as a country such as Sao Tome with a population of 150,000.” Commenting on the choice and final enthronement of Oba Adetunji as the current Olubadan, the former Ekiti seeks rail line extension to promote international trade president commended the Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi for “taking the right step.”
The elder statesman, who noted that it is God that enthrones a monarch, also tasked Oba Adetunji to continually ask God for wisdom to govern the people, stressing that the people of Ibadan in Oyo State just, like the Egba people of Ogun State are not easy to lead. He however urged the Ibadanland monarch to be trustworthy and always ensure he dispenses justice without favouritism. “Though it is all mankind that are difficult to govern, I know from experience that the peoples of Egba and Ibadan particularly are not easy to govern. I pray that God who puts you there will help you to succeed. “What is most important to any leader, be it traditional, political, educational or religious is for him to be trustworthy. Nobody is perfect, but once you are queried over some issues and you are able to defend yourself well, you can leave the rest to God,” Obasanjo advised. Speaking with journalists after his visit to expresident, Oba Adetunji commended him for his role in his emergence as the 41st Olubadan of Ibadanland.
The monarch who arrived Obasanjo’s Abeokuta residence in company of his two wives – Olori Kudirat and Olori Rasidat, an Ibadan high chief, Otun Balogun of Ibadanland, Ola Ifa as well as Mogaji Adebisi Shitu, among others, explained that he was in Abeokuta to felicitate with the former president whom he said had been so nice to every members of his family even before becoming the new Olubadan. The monarch however called for unity among all Yoruba Obas which he said I the the only panacea for moving the race forward politically and economically.
Source: National Mirror
