[size=14pt]Yoruba Obas a let-down - Osoba [/size]
By Tunde Abatan, Deputy Editor, Sunday

Former Ogun State governor, Olusegun Osoba has said that Yoruba monarchs are a let-down to both their race and the country.




He spoke during the week in response to a recent call by Yoruba monarchs and five governors of the South West for a stop to the criticisms against former President Olusegun Obasanjo.


According to Osoba, the Yoruba traditional rulers lost their respect by unwittingly looking the other way while Obasanjo "misruled" the country and "bastardised" the value system of the Yoruba in particular.


In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Independent, Osoba expressed dismay over the attitude of the Obas saying they never called the former President to order while his eight-year tenure lasted.


Osoba said as traditional rulers and leaders, the Obas are expected to provide insight and guidance for their subjects, adding that in Yoruba land, even before the emergence of modern system of government, there were checks and balances as regards how any Oba uses his position.


He regretted that today's traditional rulers who issued a statement recently in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital in defence of Obasanjo, have lost their respect among the people.


Osoba said as the protector of the Yoruba culture, the monarchs are expected to be above board adding, "I was thoroughly disappointed that our royal fathers would commit themselves into partisan politics and as the custodian and protector of the Yoruba culture, they should know that Yoruba culture does not suffer fools and does not tolerate misdemeanor, perfidy and the destruction of the core values."


He said for them to come out in defence of the negative aspect of the projection of Yoruba culture as done by Obasanjo for eight years is to say the least, "painful."


"By that statement are they saying that if a man is an armed robber we can swim and sink with that armed robber?


"What advice did they give him when he was misruling us for eight years and dragging the Yoruba name in disregard? "During the tenure elongation project when he was asking for life presidency, what advice did they offer him? Is life presidency tenable in Yoruba culture? Even in Yoruba culture, when an Oba falls out with his people and his kingmakers, he knows what to do.


"Obas in those days would go in and commit suicide. What did they do to correct Obasanjo?"


Osoba expressed surprise that the royal fathers could summon courage to come out in the open to "defend somebody who throughout his eight year tenure said he is not a Yoruba man, but a Nigerian."


His words: "Here is a man who created a wrong image of the Yoruba throughout his eight year rule and has always been saying that he is not a Yoruba man, but an Owu man. Somebody who made more enemies than friends during his reign. Are we now to inherit the enemies that Obasanjo made by this behaviour?"


Osoba wondered why the traditional rulers did not call him to order, when he was preaching transparency and honesty but was doing the contrary as reflected in the many revelations of corruption against him today.


Osoba also took a swipe at the traditional rulers for protesting against the tribunal judgement that asked Governor Segun Agagu of Ondo state to leave office saying, "that doesn't speak well of the institution of royal fathers."

http://odili.net/news/source/2008/aug/9/705.html

Na waah, people are just biting each other in Nigeria these days. No more brotherhood or sisterhood because of money.

Did Obasanjo stop this man from winning the 2nd term? Why hate him so much? e don reach the time wey dem go begin shoot each other again. We never mourn(wetin be their names again for lagos & Ekiti gov aspirant?) finish .

Go and ask Ogun State civil servants what they think of Osoba. The man should keep quiet jare.
His wife was the tyrant, though unelected, in Ogun State. na wa for the woman yet her children na real spoilt ajebota dem. Osoba should Meshionu

Go and ask Ogun State civil servants what they think of Osoba. The man should keep quiet jare.
His wife was the tyrant, though unelected, in Ogun State. na wa for the woman yet her children na real spoilt ajebota them. Osoba should Meshionu

Do you know her personally?

@Bold,

Osoba is saying the truth but I think he should also include himself

Osoba is saying the truth but I think he should also include himself

Roflmao.

DeepZone:

Do you know her personally?

@Bold,

Let's just say yes

A row call of animals with horns was proclaimed, cockroach sef carry hin antennae comot for show.

Rubbish and nonsense. Osoba is the last dolt to open his mouth and talk of corruption against any other person.

A row call of animals with horns was proclaimed, cockroach sef carry hin antennae comot for show.

Rubbish and nonsense. Osoba is the last dolt to open his mouth and talk of corruption against any other person.

Who is not corrupt among our leaders? They are all fending for themselves and protecting their business and political interest.

TPS360:

Osoba is saying the truth but I think he should also include himself

y should he include himself,is he a traditional ruler?

Pataki:

A row call of animals with horns was proclaimed, cockroach sef carry hin antennae comot for show.

Rubbish and nonsense. Osoba is the last dolt to open his mouth and talk of corruption against any other person.

irrespective of his moral standing the fact is that he is right

irrespective of his moral standing the fact is that he is right

Here comes the moral compass again judging the Obas. Are you better than those Obas? How are you sure that what osoba said is true and he's not talking from strife and the fact that Obasanjo may have messed him up politically?

hmmmm so he tot they would stay loyal

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God including my man, Osoba.

DeepZone:

Roflmao.

don't get me wrong, we all know that osoba is not a ruler , all am saying is that he as not moral grounds to say that yoruba leaders are corrupt when he himself was a let down

don't get me wrong, we all know that osoba is not a ruler , all am saying is that he as not moral grounds to say that yoruba leaders are corrupt when he himself was a let down

I think we all should have our right to speak out as provided by the Nigerian 10th amendment. Freedom of speech!!!!

I think we all should have our right to speak out as provided by the Nigerian 10th amendment. Freedom of speech!!!!

freedom of speech was never an amendment ooo, twas in he original article.

freedom of speech was never an amendment ooo[b], twas in he original article.[/b]

I don die for laughter here. Sorry sir.

Aloy.Emeka:

I don die for laughter here. Sorry sir.

An amendment is a change to the constitution of a nation or a state. In jurisdictions with "rigid" or "entrenched" constitutions amendments require a special procedure different from that used for enacting ordinary laws.

AS U KNOW GET SENSE and u think say u get.

Do we have anything like free speech in our constitution?

DeepZone:

Here comes the moral compass again judging the Obas. Are you better than those Obas? How are you sure that what osoba said is true and he's not talking from strife and the fact that Obasanjo may have messed him up politically?

wats your pointlike i said irrespective of his personality,situation e.t.c the fact is that he is right in that assertion,which one is moral compass again, oga o

Aloy.Emeka:

I think we all should have our right to speak out as provided by the Nigerian 10th amendment. Freedom of speech!!!!

i tire o,to think i was only contributing to his/her thread, nairaland