Yoruba World Congress (Worldwide), a socio-cultural and pressure group of Yoruba heritage, has requested Yoruba land’s traditional rulers to deprive former President Olusegun Obasanjo of all chieftaincy titles bestowed upon him with immediate effect.
The group also urged traditional rulers to boycott any event where he (Obasanjo) is present or has the authority to use the microphone in the future.
On Friday, September 15, 2023, during a function in Iseyin, Oyo State, Obasanjo ordered several traditional rulers to stand and sit.
Following public pressure, the previous president was ordered to formally apologize to the traditional rulers.
YWC, on the other hand, has recommended traditional rulers to immediately deprive the elder statesman of all traditional titles bestowed upon him due to his failure to make an apology.
In a statement signed by its Secretary General, Stephen Ajayi, the group urged traditional rulers not to accept any invitation that is not worthy of the position they hold and to speak with one voice about the prestigious cultural heritage and the respect it deserves.
In a statement issued on Monday, the group urged the National Assembly to pass legislation establishing a ministry for traditional rulers.
“We in Yoruba World Congress Worldwide (YWC) established in the UK is by this open letter, reject and dissociate ourselves from the actions of Obasanjo and call for a revisit of the constitution as regards the traditional councils.
“We hereby call on the Federal House of Representatives and the Senate to as a matter of urgency create a Federal Ministry for the Traditional Rulers attached to the Presidency, to manage, secure and sustain our cultural values and heritage. This should have nothing to do with the State or ministries in the state so that our Royal Fathers can get back the respect they truly deserve.
“We have waited patiently for Olusegun Obasanjo’s sincere and remorseful public apology to the traditional rulers (our Obas/Kings) present at the event and to the Yoruba race as a whole for defying our cultural heritage in an embarrassing and inhuman manner publicly, which was never tendered. YWC hereby advice our Kabiyesis’ to:
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