SALAMI'S REINSTATEMENT: WHY I WROTE JONATHAN - ALAAFIN

Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, has revealed why he wrote to President Goodluck Jonathan asking him to uphold the principle of the rule of law by reinstating the suspended President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, saying it is part of his responsibility to fight injustice wherever he sees one.

The monarch, who is the Chairman of the Oyo State Council of Traditional Rulers, said he had caused a letter to be written to President Goodluck Jonathan asking the Federal Government to toe the path of justice by implementing the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC), which directed that Salami be reinstated.

Alaafin disclosed this at the weekend when  he paid a courtesy call on the Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, at the Government House, Osogbo, preparatory to attending a book presentation in honour of Akinrun of Ikirun, Oba Rauf Olayiwola Adedeji held at the Centre for Black Culture.

Going back into history, Alaafin affirmed that it was the tradition of every Alaafin to stand up against injustice and protect its citizens wherever injustice was being meted on to them.

He said that by writing to the President on the need to be just in Salami's case, he was only following the tradition of his ancestors, who never tolerated or accepted within their sphere of influence any form of social injustice.

He said: 'Basically, somebody must challenge social injustice. Somebody must act to defend the interest of the Yoruba race. At different times in the history of Yoruba land, past Alaafins had not been found wanting.

'My own intervention in Justice Ayo Salami's case is not the first occasion where the Alaafin will rise up to defend the cause of Yoruba nation.'

'When the French were making in-road into Yoruba nation around 1880AD, my great grandfather, Adeyemi I, had to write to the British to intervene. At that time, there was internecine war in Yoruba nation. The British came, intervened and Yoruba nation was saved.

'Alaafin also wrote the British to bring enlightenment and education to Yoruba nation. In 1883, the Alaafin signed a treaty with the British to open Yoruba nation to commerce and trade. So, I am just following the tradition of every Alaafin in standing up to the cause of Yoruba race.'

Asked whether the Presidency replied his letter, the Oba said: 'I don't need any reply. The oracle has already spoken.'

He also warned that unless the political structure of the nation was redesigned from its present unitary nature, the nation may be at risk, saying the world over, a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-lingual country like Nigeria, had always balanced these differences by operating federal system of government.

He added that central government should of necessity have its powers reduced and the federating units fortified the more for the nation to grow and progress steadily.