The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi has declared that it
is totally wrong for anyone to wish President Muhammadu Buhari dead.
He said it was abominable to wish anyone created by God
dead.
The Alaafin, who said he had been following the debate over
the president’s health, noted that it was against African culture to “speculate
the death of the sick.”
In a statement, he enjoined Nigerians to support the “unity
and cohesion” between the President and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, saying it
was not Yoruba practice or tradition to benefit from other’s misfortune.
The monarch said, “I have been following with great
interest, although mixed feeling, comments that have been generated on social
and conventional media on the state of health of the President and
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, 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.”
He noted that although President Buhari, like any mortal,
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.
“This is why recent insinuations and interpretations
including some political hypothesis on the state of the President’s health is
not only uncalled for, but also unwarranted.
“It is both uncharitable and untenable for the state of the
health of the 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.”
The Alaafin warned that nothing should be done “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 deputy, Yemi
Osinbajo (SAN).
“It is on this note that I am appealing to Nigerians,
irrespective of religious or ethnic differences, to remain focused and united
in their prayer for the quick recovery of Mr. President.
“The President has remained faithful to the Nigerian cause.
He deserves reciprocity from Nigerians by being faithful to him too in a united
prayer for his quick recovery.”
By Ameh Comrade Godwin
