The Director of media and publicity for the dissolved All Progressives Congress presidential campaign council, Bayo Onanuga has asked former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo to apologize to Yoruba monarchs for asking them to stand to greet him at an event in Iseyin.
Mr Onanuga in a tweet suggested that the former president committed an unprecedented taboo against the Yoruba monarchs.
“Former Nigerian leader Olusegun Obasanjo committed unprecedented taboo against Yoruba monarchs in Iseyin on Friday. He needs to apologise to the institution of Obaship,” Mr Onanuga in a tweet on Saturday said.
News About Nigeria recalls that the former president had while speaking at an event ordered the monarchs present to stand up to greet him. The development has since sparked various reactions among members of the Yoruba socio-cultural group.
However, the former president was given a three-day deadline by the Yoruba Council Worldwide to apologise for disrespecting the king.
The group condemned the former Nigerian president for demeaning Yoruba cultural heritage, customs, tradition, and values in a statement.
It vowed to organise all market women, young people, and thought leaders in a demonstration against Obasanjo.
The group described the conduct of the former president as an outright disrespect to the Yoruba Monarchs.
The former president was yet to respond to threats by the group as at the time of filing the report.
The office of Yoruba Monarchs is highly respected and politically appointed officials are expected to respect tradition by showing utmost respect while in their presence.
However, the conduct of the former president raises questions regarding the level of regard that the masses now show to the office of the traditional rulers.
