There was a mild drama on Friday as former President Olusegun Obasanjo ordered some Oyo paramount rulers to stand and greet him.
Obasanjo was angry that the monarchs failed to honour him when he mounted the podium to speak.
He said despite their status, it was necessary for them to honour elderly persons and those in positions of authority in line with the Yoruba culture.
Obasanjo was the guest of Governor Seyi Makinde, with the assignment to commission the new Oyo-Iseyin Road, which the government rebuilt.
Video: Moment ex-president Obasanjo ordered Oyo Monarchs to stand up to greet him pic.twitter.com/KskddiHpfS
— Kalu Nwokoro Idika (@KaluNwokoro) September 16, 2023
The former President, who spoke in Yoruba, explained that during his administration, he publicly prostrated to greet kings.
He said, “I greet the kings and chiefs here sitting; I am grateful that you are here. Let me say this: wherever the President or governor is, the kings present must stand up to honour him.
“In Yoruba land, there are two things that are most respected among others: age and position. When a governor is still in power, he’s more powerful than any king.
“Even when I was President, I prostrated for kings outside, and when we went inside, the kings would prostrate for me. So, let’s always celebrate our culture.”
