In a surprising turn of events, a prominent supporter of Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has publicly expressed disappointment over Obi’s failure to send a birthday greeting to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, on his 50th birthday......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
Akin Olaoye was the obedient member who posted a message on X (formerly Twitter) highlighting the absence of a celebratory message from Obi to the revered monarch.
A quick check by Legit revealed that Olaoye was a vocal supporter of Obi during the 2023 elections.
In the tweet, the supporter expressed shock at the oversight, given the Ooni’s stature as the foremost monarch in Yorubaland and a significant cultural figure in Nigeria.
His words:
“An obvious omission is the absence of a 50th birthday greeting to His Majesty, the Ooni of Ife, from one I admire and supported greatly in the 2023 elections, @PeterObi.
“Sir, I hoped a birthday greeting was in your draft messages as of this morning, or perhaps a planned visit may still be underway.”
The supporter, though diplomatic in tone, emphasized the gravity of the situation, noting the importance of the Ooni’s milestone and his influence not only in Yorubaland but across Nigeria.
He said:
“As the #1 monarch in Yorubaland and co-head of the traditional ruler’s council of Nigeria, such a milestone is one that goes unnoticed. This is an aberration.”
The post also suggested that while there might still be time for a visit or another form of acknowledgement, the supporter was left “disappointed” after seeing Obi’s social media posts, which seemed to focus on a recent birthday greeting for former military head of state, General Yakubu Gowon.
See his tweet below:
An obvious omission is the absence of a 50th birthday greeting to his Majesty the Ooni of Ife, from one I admire and supported greatly in the 2023 elections @PeterObi .
Sir, I hoped a birthday greeting was in your draft messages as of this morning or perhaps a planned visit may…— Akin Olaoye (@akintollgate) October 20, 2024
Reactions trail Olaoye’s outburst
Olaoye’s tweet has sparked varied reactions online.
While some of Obi’s supporters rallied behind the post, agreeing that Ooni’s birthday deserved public acknowledgement, others defended the Labour Party leader, suggesting that Obi may still have personal plans to celebrate the monarch.
@mcnun said: “He doesn’t rate you, the Yorubas, and the Ooni. You can’t wake someone who is pretending to sleep. Leave these people and come and join the APC.”
@PoloM77 said: “What if He called the monarch to wish him happy birthday… should he have come to make a tweet about it? Does not greeting someone mean you don’t have regard for the person? Akin, this tweet here is disappointing…”
@Akinrinmade_14 said: “Boss, i beg to differ. Do we hold those in actual office with this much accountability?
“Why does everything and every step PO takes have to be scrutinised. Asides from the fact that he is human, he doesn’t owe us any apologies or explanations as to who, whom, when and where he.”
Peter Obi opens up on why he felicitated Gowon at 90
Earlier, Legit reported that Peter Obi on Sunday, October 20, said he praised a former military ruler, Yakubu Gowon because he “needed to show to the world that the ultimate heroism is forgiving the enemy and moving forward.”
Obi asked “all those angered by my greetings to the elder statesman to bear with me and join me in this mission to create a country where hate, unforgiving spirit, and other vices will give way for justice.”