A Chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), in Ogun state, Comrade Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, on Monday tasked traditional rulers in Yorubaland to stop being partisan to earn due respect.
Speaking on the controversy over Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s comments on Oke Ogun traditional rulers in Iseyin last Friday, the NNPP gubernatorial candidate in March 18 elections in Ogun state, declared that there was the need for traditional rulers to respect constituted authorities like the governor and the president.
Comrade Ajadi maintained that traditional rulers should not dabble into politics but should rather continue to preside over their towns or communities while the governors preside over states and the President over the whole country.
He emphasised that the need for the traditional rulers to realise that governors and the president, be it former or incumbent deserved respect at any public function.
“When governors or president visits the traditional rulers in their palaces, they usually give them the respects they deserved but at the public functions where they are seated before the arrival of the governors or president, courtesy demand that they give respect to the governors or president”, he said
The NNPP gubernatorial candidate Comrade added ” Traditional rulers especially the Obas in Yoruba land, would stop being humiliated by any political office holders be it governors or the president when they stop being partisan”.
“Our Kings are expected to be fathers for all politicians through the giving of advice and guidance on how to achieve good governance but not being partisan.
However, what is playing out is that most of them are politically aligned and with their involvement in politics it would be difficult for them to receive their deserved respect”.
Stressing that though the traditional rulers were custodians of culture, they deserved respect, Comrade Ajadi pointed out that they should bear it in mind that respect is reciprocal.
He noted that the role of traditional rulers should be that of impartial advisors in Nigerian politics and that their involvement in partisan politics could lead to their humiliation by political figures.
Blueprint Newspapers on WhatsAp-Join now!