Some traditional rulers in Yoruba land are still piqued by comments attributed to the Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, where he lambasted them, in spite of reports that he has withdrawn the statement.
The Obas, however, noted that the action of Tinubu was capable of affecting the fortunes of the party ahead of the 2015 general elections.
Tinubu, it will be recalled, was quoted as lampooning top Yoruba monarchs, especially those whose roles he described as ignoble in the struggle to validate Chief MKO’s Abiola’s presidential mandate in the June 12 ,1993 general elections, in which Abiola won.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba OkunadeSijuwade, however chided Tinubu for the controversial comments, asking him to get his facts straight.
Speaking during an event organised by the Osun State Government, he said, “When our country was upside down, it was the traditional rulers in this country that saved the situation.
“If we left the country as politicians did, there would have been no state for the leader of APC to rule when he came back.
“Two among the three Obas (praised by him) were the best friends of the late military head of state, General Sani Abacha, and among them, one was on the pay list of the late General, and one lifted crude oil allocated to him by General Abacha.
“You can ask them, Abacha gave me money on more than one occasion, but I refused.
And if you want to talk of the annulment of late Chief M.K.O. Abiola’s election, these two or three traditional rulers should be properly investigated, because they were neither here nor there.”
In apparent reference to Tinubu’s comment, he cautioned political leaders against unguarded and unfounded statements, which had to do with traditional rulers.
He added, “If any of our leaders want to make a categorical statement on an important issue, like the Oba in Yoruba land, he should try to check his records to know exactly what each one of them has done, because there is so much blackmailing and, fortunately, the late Abacha’s Chief Security Officer is alive, and he is in a position to tell the world about the Obas who were close associates of his late boss.”
Other traditional rulers, who spoke in unison and separately to the Nigerian Pilot Sunday in exclusive chats, from their various palaces, berated the Asiwaju, describing his comments as baseless and uncalled for, most of who bestowed on him traditional tiles.
The Olukoyi of Ikoyi land, Oba Yisau Oyetunji, said, “Tinubu has forgotten that the traditional rulers he is condemning were the ones that offered him some chieftaincy titles he is carrying all about today.”
Another monarch, Salu of Edunabon, Oba Elijah Oyelade, also said, “We don’t expect Tinubu to be uttering such a statement now that his party needs people’s support in the coming election not only in Osun State but nationwide,” the monarch added.
Denying the comments as misconstrued, he said, “I have never referred to any Oba in Yoruba land as uncultured. I hold Obas in high esteem. I have so many titles, especially from Yoruba Land. Only those involved in political mischief will try to misconstrue the praises I have given. They are just making a mistake,” Tinubu said in a statement issued Thursday by his media office.
-NigerianPilot