Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has stirred reactions after a video showed him insisting on sitting in a seat reportedly reserved for the Ooni of Ife during an event.
In the footage circulating online, Obasanjo was heard explaining his position, saying, ‘When a President is present, you give him more honour than any king.’
The incident has generated debate over the relationship between Nigeria’s political office holders and traditional rulers, particularly regarding the respect accorded to traditional institutions.
Critics have described the development as unfortunate, arguing that traditional rulers occupy positions rooted in centuries-old cultural and ancestral institutions.
They noted that while a president is elected for a fixed tenure of four years, renewable once, traditional rulers generally occupy their thrones for life and serve as custodians of the history, culture and traditions of their people.
The controversy has also prompted comparisons between the treatment of Yoruba traditional rulers and other prominent traditional institutions across Nigeria.
The video has continued to generate discussions online, with Nigerians expressing different views on whether the presence of a serving or former president should take precedence over the traditional protocol attached to a monarch’s seat.
