Nigeria’s former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has drawn criticism over his congratulatory message to the newly installed Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, after referring to the monarch as “my dear brother.”
Obi, in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, hailed the traditional ruler’s coronation as “a source of pride for the Yoruba nation and Nigeria as a whole.” But his choice of words has sparked controversy in a society where titles and forms of address towards royalty are deeply rooted in cultural norms.
Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide, rebuked Obi for what he described as “a lack of cultural sensitivity and diplomatic polish,” accusing him of denigrating the ancient throne. “The 44th Olubadan of Ibadan is a royal father and deserves honourable treatment. This is not some warrant chief created by the British in a land without natural rulers,” Omokri said. He added that Obi “would never refer to an emir in such terms.”
Lere Olayinka, media aide to Nigeria’s minister of the Federal Capital Territory, echoed the criticism, describing Obi’s words as “disrespectful” and evidence of “cultural ignorance and political arrogance.” He pointed to the monarch’s seniority in both age and stature, questioning why Obi would address a first-class Yoruba king in such familiar terms.
The episode has reignited debates about political leaders’ sensitivity to cultural traditions in Nigeria, where royal institutions remain powerful symbols of authority and identity.
