From: Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, on Thursday, cautioned politicians against causing disunity and in-cohesion between President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), who is currently the Acting President.
The monarch, in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, said that some people wanted to use political insinuations over Buhari’s health to achieve their inordinate ambitions to destabilise the country.
Oba Adeyemi, however, appealed to all Nigerians, irrespective of religious and ethnic differences, to remain focused and united in their prayer for the quick recovery of President Buhari.
Buhari had travelled to London on Sunday for medical attention. According to the a statement issued by Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Buhari, Mr. Femi Adesina, the length of his stay would be determined by the doctors.
Oba Adeyemi said: “In this respect, nothing should be by any form of political insinuation to break the wall of unity and cohesion in the presidency, especially between the President and his very loyal Vice, Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.
“It is on this note that I am appealing to all Nigerians, irrespective of religious or ethnic differences to remain focused and united in their prayer for the quick recovery of Mr. President.
“The President had remained faithful to the Nigerian cause. He deserves reciprocity from all Nigerians by being faithful to him too in a united prayer for his quick recovery.”
Oba Adeyemi maintaied that some political gladiators might have been playing politics with the health of Buhari to destabilise the presidency, and by extension, the country.
He continued: “I have been following with great interest, though mixed feeling, comments that have been generated on both social and conventional media on the state of health of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, General Muhammadu Buhari.
“Let me state very clearly and unambiguously that in African culture, it is not proper to speculate the death of the sick. In Yoruba culture in particular, it is abomination not only to speculate but to wish a fellow mortal dead. Neither is it proper to mock the sick because only God determines the future of everybody.
“In the custom belief and tradition of the Yoruba, death is not age determinant. That is why in Yoruba tradition, we always pray for the recovery of the sick, no matter his age.
“In the particular case of President Buhari; although like any mortal, he may be physically sick, that sickness is not in any way transferred to the style and level of governance in the country. In other words, the President might have been delegating some responsibilities to the Vice President; he is still much in charge of the government.
“That is why recent insinuations and interpretations including some political hypothesis on the State of the President’s health is not only uncalled for but unwarranted. It is both uncharitable and untenable for the state of the health of President to be given any ethnic insinuation of any form. Let me state with every sense of clarity and candour that it is not the practice and tradition of the Yoruba to benefit from the misfortune of others.”