Obasanjo Warns Against Supremacy Battle Among Yoruba Monarchs

Source: thewillnigeria.com

BEVERLY HILLS, May 06, (THEWILL) – Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has condemned the supremacy battle among Yoruba monarchs, which has recently pitched two prominent traditional rulers against each other, describing such tussle as “a distraction, which could result in a setback.”

Obasanjo made this assertion on Thursday when the new Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, paid him a courtesy visit at his Presidential Hilltop residence in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

Stressing that good governance and the welfare of their subjects should be paramount in the mind of the traditional rulers, he advised the monarchs to jealously guard the honour accorded their offices and demonstrate mutual respect for one another.

According to him, “I think that what is more important is to give good governance to the citizens and have mutual respect for ourselves.

“When I was President and even now, I usually accord respect to all Presidents, particularly to the ones with small population.

“I do this because I realised 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 a few people.

“For instance, Nigeria with a population of about 180 million, has the same vote with Sao Tome with a population of 150,000.”

Revealing what should matter most to any leader, Obasanjo said: “What is most important to any leader, be it traditional, political 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 then leave the rest to God.”

In his remarks, Oba Adetunji commended Obasanjo for his role in his emergence as the 41st Olubadan. He then called for unity among the traditional rulers in Yorubaland as part of efforts to move the ethnic stock forward.