The Coronet Yoruba Youth Leaders, an organization that represents “Yoruba Traditional Youth Leaders Chiefs,” has urged Yoruba traditional rulers to abstain from party politics and other behavior that would devalue the obaship.
The organization also urged the traditional leaders to avoid intolerance based on religion because they are dads to everyone, regardless of their religious affiliation.
Chief Jimoh Olawale Taofeek, the group’s Youth Leader General, issued the warning in response to the former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s order to some traditional leaders in Oyo State last week.
Traditional leaders should command the esteem that is due to them for holding their posts, according to Chief Jimoh, by abstaining from party politics and religious prejudice, among other things that might degrade the institution.
The Obas, who are the guardians of our culture and history, Chief Jimoh said, “can be maturely corrected without humiliation in order to not relegate our heritage.”
Chief Jimoh blamed the colonialists for ending the roles of traditional rulers at the Berlin conference in 1884–1885 when the African continent was divided among the then-colonial powers of Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, and Belgium, lamenting the way and manner in which the tradition leaders had been reduced to merely ceremonial leaders.
“Traditional rulers have not been given a constitutional role in the Nigerian Constitution since 1979,” he continued.
What our people didn’t realize is that the British overthrew our long-standing institution and then went back to their own nation to create, protect, and advance their own royal institution.
Chief Jimoh said that unlike temporary political office, the status of obaship lasts a lifetime.
Therefore, he called for the constitutional amendment that will establish a Ministry for the Traditional Institution to give traditional rulers another independent arm of government, roles to play in nation building, as well as membership in the Federal and States Executive Councils, highlighting that this will enable them to be part of the policy-making process from inception to implementation toward development of the society as the body that is closer to the community.
Chief Jimoh praised the governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, for treating traditional rulers in the state with respect and deference. According to Chief Jimoh, the governor’s behavior toward the traditional rulers truly shown that he is a true prince who has the highest regard for the traditional institution of the Obas.
He urged others in political office to adopt Abiodun’s humility and simplicity, pointing out that the governor, although being the state’s top official, has always been forgiving of certain Obas’ transgressions of etiquette.
Despite his highly regarded position as the State’s governor, “he stays steadfast, modest, and maintains such maximal respect for the norms, tradition, and value that formed the Obaship institution.
