Former Anambra State governor Peter Obi has addressed the backlash he faced on social media over his congratulatory message to the newly crowned Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja.
News Round The Clock (NRTC) gathered that the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate had referred to the monarch as “my dear brother” in his message on Saturday.
Many commentators criticised the phrase as disrespectful to Yoruba traditional institutions.
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However, in a statement posted on his X page on Sunday, the 64-year-old clarified that his choice of words carried no disrespect towards Olubadan.
Obi wrote: “I felicitated with my dear elder brother, the newly crowned, His Royal Majesty, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja. I have read the concerns of those aggrieved by what they considered improper addressing. I respect protocol and authority, and I try, as much as possible, to adhere to them.
“However, those who follow me would have noticed that I often prefer to use the expression “my dear elder brother” when addressing individuals especially close to me and for whom I have tremendous respect. I always refer to His Royal Majesty Igwe Alfred Achebe, Obi of Onitsha, as my very dear elder brother in the same affectionate manner. In matters of wrongdoing, motive is important. I assure all that my words were borne out of untrammelled goodwill.”
