Let me speak plainly. What covenant of service has Remi Tinubu brought to the Yoruba people to justify receiving a title that carries the weight of our entire heritage? Beyond political influence and access to state power, what work has she done that binds her to the spiritual, cultural and historical essence of our race? These are not questions rooted in disrespect; they are questions any people with self-worth should ask.
This latest decision by the palace must be examined because it touches the very soul of who we are. If not for political convenience, Kabiyesi — the one whose authority comes from the gods — should please tell us why the rest of us must keep holding the royal stool in high esteem when individuals whose stature is tied only to money and temporary political office can step into sacred spaces unchallenged. Offices end; legacies endure. Our ancestors did not build this civilisation for it to be reduced to mere political networking.
During the 10th coronation anniversary in Ile-Ife, Remi Tinubu was installed as the Yeye Asiwaju Gbogbo Ile Oodua, a title that traditionally demands profound service to Yoruba people everywhere. Yet what we witnessed around this ceremony only deepened public scepticism. The entire event — from the glowing speeches to the political undertones — felt more like a strategic endorsement than an honour earned through long-standing devotion to Yoruba culture. And it wasn’t just the title. A viral moment during the ceremony, where Mrs Tinubu confronted and publicly warned a sitting governor over his singing, exposed the uncomfortable truth: political power now dictates the tone of our cultural spaces. Watching a governor — a Yoruba leader in his own right — be threatened with having his microphone turned off during a royal occasion sent shockwaves across the nation.
This is not how our traditions were meant to function. These titles are supposed to be sacred, symbolising service, humility and deep connection to the people. When politics becomes the primary qualifier, the stool is cheapened, and the dignity of our race is diluted.
What value does this honour bring to the Yoruba people? What lasting work does it reflect? How does it uplift us spiritually, culturally or materially? Because right now, this decision appears to benefit only a select few within the palace, while the rest of us are expected to clap as if nothing is wrong.
I say this with respect, yet with full conviction: conferring a Yoruba-wide title of such spiritual significance on Remi Tinubu was a misstep. It carries political value, not cultural value. And unless our leaders return to the principles that sustained our civilisation for centuries, decisions like this will continue to chip away at the reverence we once held for the royal throne.
We owe our ancestors better. We owe our future generations better. And we must say the truth, even when it is uncomfortable.
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