Last month, at the palace of the Oba of Benin, Peter Obi went on his knees to address the monarch. It took the Ewuare II to direct him to be “upstanding!” The same privilege was not extended to Datti-Ahmed. So he went on his knees each time he spoke to the monarch.
Now, look at this. Our own Obi of Onitsha, His Majesty Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe, the most revered monarch in Igbo land! Not only sitting on the same table and breathing the same air with former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar!
Ok. Even as the Waziri Adamawa, does it qualify him to be addressed seated? Would Atiku attempt that in the presence of the Lamido Adamawa or better still a Peter Obi? What an insult! But it says a lot about what we now have and who we’ve become.
I accompanied the late MKO to the palace of Osita Agwuna III, Igwe Enugwu-Ukwu in 1993. MKO went on his knees for the better of the encounter and at the palace of Edward Nnaji, the late Odenigbo Nike, it was no different.
In fact, at Nike the Odenigbo spoke in Igbo only and an interpreter did the needful.
Of course, it was purely symbolic. For it turned out that Abiola was not a stranger to them. But for the public, for the optics, it didn’t matter whether they played Ayo together or even chased the same women.
Meanwhile, the meetings took place at the palaces of the monarchs at Enugwu-Ukwu and Nike.
This doesn’t look like the Ime-Obi, the palace of the Onitsha monarch. So, where is this and why? Why should the Obi be sharing the same table with his visitor?
No wonder Atiku will have the temerity to tell Ndigbo to wait till he finishes before they could aspire to be President. No wonder because it’s the name you give your dog that it’ll answer. You’ll be addressed how you’re dressed.
Hope someone will whisper something to the “Agbogidi” and remind him who he is.
I’m not oblivious of his pedigree as one of the most intelligent, urbane and highly global personalities on the throne in Nigeria today.
That I could attest to having had a personal encounter with him. Meaning that this might not be what some people might be thinking. All the same water must run through its channel.
Enough said! – The Tiny Voice! Read more.
[Contributed]
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