Foremost traditionalist and Ifa priest in Yorubaland, Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon has lamented the overwhelming influence of politicians over traditional institutions, saying it has subjected them to ridicule.
The Araba Awo of Osogbo, while featuring on NUJ, Osun correspondents’ chapel personality interview programme tagged: ‘Newspoint’ in Osogbo, Elebuibon decried indiscriminate removal of traditional rulers across the country.
He condemned the disrespect to the traditional institutions by politicians, noting that the process for the installation of a monarch does not have anything to do with politics.
The priest insisted that politicians have no business in the emergence of traditional rulers, maintaining that the kingmakers are the only recognised body saddled with the responsibility of selecting and installing monarchs.
He warned politicians to steer clear of the selection process of traditional rulers and allow those that have the rights to perform their duties.
“It’s not the duty of politicians to participate in the selection process of traditional rulers. It is subjecting the traditional institutions to ridicule for politicians to intervene in the process
“Politicians are ‘rubbishing’ our monarchs. A politician removed Lamido Sanusi and another one returned it. They are removing monarchs at will and installing them at will. Politicians have spoiled the traditional institutions.
“The Whites are not joking with their monarchs like us. The Queen of England is in a separate and respected place. That is how our politicians should respect traditional rulers. They make the monarchs irrelevant. That is why the monarchs are running after them because they know that politicians can remove them or deny them their salary.
“I want to say that it is not the duty of politicians to select monarchs. The kingmakers are there; the priests are there. It is civilisation that subjected monarchs to approval of the governor. It is not a good thing,” the traditionalist posited.
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