Peter Obi disrespected Yoruba culture by calling Olubadan ‘dear brother’ — Oriyomi Hamzat

Ibadan-based broadcaster and founder of Agidigbo Radio, Oriyomi Hamzat, has criticised former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, accusing him of disrespecting Yoruba culture and the people of Ibadan through his “my dear brother” congratulatory message to the newly installed Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja.

Speaking on Sunday during his ‘So Kan Wa Special’ programme on Agidigbo FM with invited guests, Hamzat condemned Obi’s wording, calling it an insult to Yoruba tradition.

“Yoruba people, Ibadan indigenes, Obi has disrespected you. He called Olubadan, a royal head, my friend,” Hamzat said in the broadcast.

The broadcaster explained that his remarks were not meant to obstruct Obi’s political ambitions but to defend the dignity of the throne.

“I am not hindering him from getting votes, I am just informing them,” he said.

Hamzat also argued that even President Bola Tinubu avoided casual expressions when addressing the monarch.

“The President did not call him my friend, maybe he said brother. Olubadan has now turned to my father,” he added.

Tribune Online reports that former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, also criticised Obi for referring to the Olubadan as “my dear brother,” stressing that the throne carried historical weight and predated colonial structures.

Omokri, in a statement posted on Facebook on Saturday, said the Olubadan, as a First Class king and custodian of Ibadan’s cultural heritage, should not be equated with warrant chiefs created by colonial authorities.

Obi had on Saturday congratulated Oba Ladoja in a post on X, describing his ascension as the 44th Olubadan as a source of pride for the Yoruba nation and Nigeria.

The statement reads partly, “I warmly congratulate my dear brother, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, Arusa I, on his installation as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland. His ascension to this revered throne is a celebration for the people of Ibadan and a source of pride for the entire Yoruba nation and Nigeria as a whole.

“The enthronement of Oba Ladoja, a distinguished statesman with vast experience in business, politics, and governance, symbolises the enduring harmony between tradition and modernity in our society.”

Following the criticisms, Obi clarified in another statement that no disrespect was intended in his message to the monarch.

He explained that his choice of words stemmed from a personal style of addressing individuals he holds in high esteem as “my dear elder brother.”

ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE