Oriyomi Hamzat Clarifies Criticism of Peter Obi Over Olubadan Message
Ibadan-based broadcaster Oriyomi Hamzat has defended his stance on Peter Obi’s congratulatory message to the new Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, insisting that the former Labour Party presidential candidate lacked the cultural and personal ties that made similar expressions acceptable from other political leaders.
Hamzat, writing on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, responded to a user who questioned why he faulted Obi’s description of the monarch as “my dear brother” while sparing President Bola Tinubu and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who used similar phrases in their goodwill messages.
The media personality explained that Tinubu and Atiku’s words carried weight because of their long-standing relationships with Oba Ladoja. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at 73, is only eight years younger than His Imperial Majesty. Both men share history, having served as senators during the Third Republic and later as governors in the same political era,” Hamzat wrote.
He recalled that when Oba Ladoja was impeached as Oyo State governor in 2006, Tinubu, then Lagos governor, played a key role in rallying political and legal support that eventually restored him to office. “That bond, tested in the heat of struggle, makes Tinubu’s reference to Oba Ladoja as ‘my brother’ both natural and culturally appropriate,” Hamzat argued.
On Atiku, he added that the former vice-president shared his own history with the monarch, noting Atiku’s presence at Oba Ladoja’s 60th birthday celebration as proof of their personal ties.
By contrast, Hamzat said Obi lacked the closeness and historical connection required to use such familiar terms. “To call Kabiesi ‘my brother’ is to ignore the values of Omoluabi that Ibadan and Yorubaland hold dear — values that honour age, experience, and legacy,” he stated.
His remarks come amid ongoing debate on social media over Obi’s choice of words in his congratulatory message, which critics argue breached Yoruba royal etiquette.
