Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has remained unapologetic over his action at Iseying in Oyo State for ordering monarchs to stand up and greet him during the commissioning of roads constructed by the state government last Friday.
Following the criticism that greeted Obansanjo’s action, his estranged wife, Taiwo Martins, pleaded with all Yoruba worldwide to forgive him over his statement.
Taiwo, in a report titled “Oyo Kings: A Plea for Forgiveness,”, begged “for permanent and eternal forgiveness and pardon from all Yoruba sons and daughters worldwide, fathers and mothers, youths, teenagers, and children, Christians, Muslims, traditional worshippers, all leaders in Yoruba land, and the Council of Kings in Yoruba land.”
Reacting to the unsolicited apology, Obasanjo distanced himself from Taiwo, stating that she is neither his wife nor a member of Obasanjo’s family but rather an impostor despite having two children with him.
In his characteristic defiance, the former president said he remained unapologetically and uncompromisingly in his position that a governor holds the highest office in the state and should therefore be given the due respect enshrined in the constitution.
Chief Obasanjo made this known in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, and made available to newsmen.
He said only he could make any statement on behalf of the Obasanjo family or people delegated by him to do so.
The statement partly reads, “The attention of former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has been drawn to a statement purported to be issued by a wife of the President with the photograph of one Ms. Taiwo Martins as the author of the statement.
“For the records, Ms. Martins has two children, Jonwo and Bunmi, for Chief Obasanjo, but to say emphatically that she is neither his wife nor a member of the Obasanjo family
“Her posturing as Chief Obasanjo’s wife is false and that of an impostor. Nobody makes statements on behalf of the Obasanjo family except Chief Obasanjo or people delegated by him to do so.
“It must be noted that the state of health of Ms. Martins is known to all and sundry, and whatever she says or does has nothing to do with Chief Obasanjo as an individual or the Obasanjo family as a whole.
“However, the former President has affirmed that he stood firmly, unapologetically, and uncompromisingly in the position that the governor of a state holds the highest office in the state.
“By that position, the respect, protocol, and dignity that must be given to the office by virtue of the constitution must not be denied. To do otherwise is to deride the office and the constitution.”
