There was mild drama on Friday when former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in a trending video on social media, ordered some Yoruba monarchs to stand up and greet him.
Obasanjo who was in Oyo state on the invitation of Governor Seyi Makinde made the remarks during the commissioning of a 34.85 km Oyo-Iseyin Road and the completed Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Iseyin Campus, which houses the College of Agricultural Sciences and Renewable Natural Resources.
He said in Yoruba, “I greet the kings and chiefs here sitting; I am grateful that you are here. Let me say this: wherever the president or governor is, the kings present must stand up to honour him.
“In Yoruba land, there are two things that are most respected among others: age and position. When a governor is still in power, he’s more powerful than any king.
“Even when I was president, I prostrated for kings outside, and when we went inside, the kings would prostrate for me. So, let’s always celebrate our culture.”