Contempt for traditional institutions: Yoruba Council derecognises Obasanjo as Balogun of Owu

Adebayo Adenrele


The Yoruba Council Worldwide on Wednesday said it has derecognised former President, Olusegun Obasanjo as the Balogun of Owu over his contempt for traditional institutions.

Also the body said that it has ceased to recognize Obasanjo’s Chieftancy titles conferred on him by traditional rulers in Yoruba land

This was contained in a letter jointly signed by the President and Secretary General of the Council, Aare Oba Oladotun Hassan Esq,
and Siyanbade Adekanbi, respectively and presented to the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Professor Saka Matemilola.

The council recalled that
Obasanjo had committed a sacrilege by degrading Yoruba Obas in Iseyin, where he commanded them to stand and pay homage to him during the commissioning of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Iseyin campus.

According to the letter, the council had demanded for his apology which he blatantly ignored hence, their decision to derecognised him.

The statement reads, “The Yoruba Council Worldwide being the apex Yoruba indigenous organization, having waited endless for your compliance to the 3 days earlier call for sober apology press conference via our widely circulated notice on 16th September, 2023. we hereby declare and seize to recognize your Chieftaincy titles conferred on you by any monarchs in Yoruba Land, including the Balogun of Owu Kingdom, consequent upon your brazen refusal to apologise, degradation and disparaging comments to the Yoruba Obas on the 15th September, 2023 at Iseyin, Oyo State: A Total Sacrilege. We see your disrespectful statements at the commissioning of the ladoke Mintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Iseyin campus, and had commanded kings from Oyo State to stand up and accord you respect (and subsequent defense in premium times); to the arrays of first class Royal Fathers and other leading Obas like toddlers or a village headmaster or Army General talking profusely at his foot solders in a most depressing, disparaging and disrespectful manner.

“We reiterate as the leading vanguard voice for all Yoruba indigenous people globally. We have eternal duty to preserve the aesthetic distinct Omoluabi ethos, Royal stools and ancestral customs and traditions of the Yoruba obaship, precipitating our earlier demand lot immediate apologies within three (3) days which you deliberately ignored blatantly.
We shall further continue strict legal action at a court of competent jurisdiction for defamation and scandalous libel accordingly.

“Furthermore. we shall mobilise all market women, youth and leaders of thoughts for onward sanitization and compliance to our declaration forthwith.”