Fani-Kayode, Odumakin Slams Tinubu For Refusing To Greet Ooni Of Ife Respectfully [Video]

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has come under attack for refusing to greet the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, respectfully.

A viral photo and video currently circulating the social media shows Tinubu sitting down while the Ooni stands to greet him at the coronation of the Oniru of Iruland, Oba Omogbolahan Lawal.

Reacting to the incident on his Twitter page, a Former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode wondered by Tinubu would refuse to stand up to greet his traditional ruler.

He said Tinubu’s behaviour was deeply insulting to every Ife son and daughter.

“That the Asiwaju of Bourdillon refused to stand up to greet the Ooni of Ife speaks volumes,” Fani-Kayode said.

“This was not only deeply insulting to every Ife & indeed son & daughter of Odua but it is also a crying shame. Would a northern political leader refuse to stand up for his traditional ruler?”

Yinka Odumakin, who is the spokesman for pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, said during an interview with The PUNCH that Tinubu should have stood up to greet the Ooni of Ife.

He said although monarchs no longer hold political power, it was important for traditional institutions to be respected especially by the Yoruba people.

Odumakin recalled that in 2016, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is many years older than the monarch, bowed down to greet him.

“We are still Yoruba people. With due respect to our royal fathers, we should not say because we are in a modern age, we should not give the proper respect that we give to our oba.

“You saw the time former President Obasanjo prostrated before the Ooni. So, it is still our culture and we must sustain our culture and give the respect that is due to our monarchs,” Odumakin said.

Watch the video below:

Meanwhile, KanyiDaily recalls that Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai had taken a swipe at Tinubu’s dominance of the political structure in Lagos State, saying he would teach people of Lagosians how to end his godfatherism.