17th September, 2023
Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has expressed anger in the manner former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, ordered traditional rulers in Yoruba land to stand up and sit down like children.
Obasanjo had during the commissioning of projects in Oyo State ordered Obas to stand up and greet the governor and also ordered them to sit down.
Obasanjo said “stand up,” the obas obeyed, he then said ‘Sit down,” and they sat down in clear humiliation.
“I am deeply saddened and utterly mortified by the way in which former President Olusegun Obasanjo lambasted our revered traditional rulers in Oyo state and “ordered” them to “stand up” and “sit down” as if they were children,” Fani-Kayode lamented.
“This is the same Obasanjo 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,” he added.
Fani-Kayode said many thought that the whole thing was some kind of joke, but said he did not, saying that “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 that Obasanjo’s association with and support for Peter Obi in the last presidential election had diminished and demystified him in the eyes of most to such an extent that it had become pitiful, embarrassing and indefensible.
“That the great OBJ is now a flaming Obidient is the 8th wonder of the world. It really makes no sense and it is simply mind-boggling.
“What we witnessed when OBJ insulted our traditional rulers in Oyo state yesterday was the Obi spirit which is now firmly embedded in him at work.
“First he was at a gathering in Awka where the Yoruba race were labelled “political rascals” by some Igbo leaders without a response from him and now he has the guts and effrontery to tell our traditional rulers to jump up and down like yoyos and clowns?
“Baba this is too much. Please respect yourself and stop embarrassing those of us that still have some affection and respect left for you,” he stated.