Makinde Traditional Rulers Warning: PVM Asks ‘Who Is Advising Governor?’
The Progressives Vision Movement (PVM) has questioned the political wisdom behind Governor Seyi Makinde’s controversial warning to traditional rulers in Oyo State against involvement in partisan politics, asking why such a sensitive message had to be delivered with language capable of being interpreted as disrespectful to the revered traditional institution.
President of the movement, OmoOba Gbadegeshin Ademola, said while there was nothing fundamentally wrong with asking traditional rulers to remain politically neutral, Governor Makinde’s choice of words had unnecessarily shifted attention away from the legitimate point he was trying to make.
Makinde had, during the first coronation anniversary of the Eleruwa of Eruwa, Oba Samuel Adegbola, urged traditional rulers to remain fathers to all political actors rather than openly identifying with candidates or political parties.
The governor warned that monarchs who choose to participate openly in partisan politics should be prepared to be treated as politicians and exposed to the verbal attacks associated with political contests.
But PVM said the controversy raises a bigger political question: Who is advising Governor Makinde, why make such a statement now, and what political advantage does he expect to derive from it as the 2027 political season gathers momentum?
According to Ademola, traditional rulers occupy positions that transcend election cycles and should therefore be engaged with exceptional caution and respect.
“Governors will come and governors will go. Presidents will come and presidents will go. Commissioners, lawmakers and political appointees will also come and go, but our traditional institutions remain fundamental custodians of our history, culture and communities,” Ademola said.
“Why, therefore, use words that your political opponents can easily turn against you when the same message could have been communicated respectfully?”
PVM maintained that Yoruba culture places enormous emphasis on respect for elders and traditional institutions, arguing that political disagreement should never become an excuse for language capable of diminishing the dignity of royal fathers.
Ademola said a governor could legitimately appeal to monarchs to remain non-partisan without creating the impression that royal fathers could become targets of insults.
“As a Yoruba man, irrespective of the level of provocation, there must be a line you don’t cross when addressing our royal fathers,” he said.
“You can disagree with a Kabiyesi. You can respectfully remind him that his palace should remain open to everybody. But the language must reflect the cultural values we inherited from our forefathers.”
PVM also rejected any suggestion that traditional rulers could be completely isolated from discussions concerning politics, governance and development.
According to the movement, there is an important distinction between partisan politics and the broader involvement of traditional rulers in matters affecting the development and welfare of their communities.
Traditional rulers regularly interface with governments over roads, schools, hospitals, security, agriculture, land, community disputes, investments and grassroots development.
PVM therefore argued that monarchs cannot reasonably be excluded from every political or governmental conversation simply because they are expected to maintain institutional neutrality.
“Can we honestly rule our royal fathers out of decisions concerning the development of their communities?” Ademola asked.
“When insecurity occurs, government consults them. When there is a communal crisis, government runs to the palace. When politicians need grassroots mobilisation, they visit royal fathers. When there are development projects, the traditional institution becomes an important stakeholder.”
“Why should their relevance suddenly become uncomfortable when elections are approaching?”
PVM said the timing of Makinde’s statement would inevitably generate questions because Nigeria is moving towards another major election cycle.
The organisation consequently challenged the governor’s political advisers to explain what benefit could arise from allowing a message about royal neutrality to become a controversy over respect for traditional rulers.
Ademola said Makinde had built a political reputation as a politician capable of taking unconventional positions and should have avoided providing his opponents with statements that could overshadow his record.
“I thought Governor Makinde would break the jinx by refusing to say things that opponents could weaponise against him,” the PVM president said.
“Politics is about strategy. Leadership is also about knowing that sometimes the way you communicate a message is as important as the message itself.”
PVM further argued that a governor confident in his performance should ultimately rely on the judgment of the electorate rather than become overly concerned about the political preferences of individual traditional rulers.
According to Ademola, good governance remains one of the strongest political endorsements any elected leader can receive.
“If you have truly governed well, your achievements should speak for you,” he said.
“You should not have to fear whether one traditional ruler supports Candidate A or Candidate B. The people who benefited from your roads, schools, healthcare, economic programmes and other projects should become your strongest defenders.”
“Let the people fight politically for your record.”
The movement nevertheless acknowledged the principle behind Makinde’s call for traditional neutrality.
PVM agreed that a palace should ideally remain accessible to politicians of different parties and that traditional rulers should exercise caution before openly identifying their institutions with particular political candidates.
However, it insisted that defending the neutrality of traditional institutions should simultaneously involve defending their dignity.
“Neutrality and respect can coexist,” Ademola said.
“We can tell our royal fathers that the palace belongs to everybody without threatening them with political insults.”
PVM also called on politicians across party lines to stop dragging traditional rulers into political battles whenever it suits their interests.
The organisation argued that politicians frequently seek royal endorsements during campaigns only to complain about traditional rulers becoming political when the perceived endorsement benefits an opponent.
“Politicians cannot have it both ways,” Ademola said.
“You cannot desperately seek photographs, prayers and endorsements from royal fathers when you need votes and suddenly declare that traditional rulers must disappear from the political environment when their opinions appear unfavourable to you.”
PVM urged Makinde to clarify his remarks and reassure Oyo traditional rulers that his administration continues to respect the institution and its historic role in the development of the state.
The movement also appealed to traditional rulers to preserve the dignity of their stools by remaining fathers to politicians and citizens irrespective of party affiliation.
According to PVM, the coming political contest should be fought on governance records, policies and competing visions for development rather than confrontations between elected officials and traditional institutions.
Ademola maintained that no temporary political contest should be allowed to damage relationships with institutions that have existed for generations.
“Governor Makinde still has an opportunity to explain exactly what he meant and remove every perception of disrespect,” he said.
“Our royal fathers are not above constructive criticism, but neither should their stools become objects of political ridicule.”
“Governors have constitutional tenures. Elections have dates. Political appointments have expiration dates. But our traditional institutions represent generations before us and generations yet unborn.”
“For that reason, every politician — government or opposition — must learn to disagree with our royal fathers without destroying the respect attached to the throne.”
PVM concluded that the controversy should become an opportunity for political leaders and traditional rulers to establish a healthier relationship ahead of 2027 — one in which monarchs remain institutionally neutral while retaining their legitimate voices on development, security, peace and the welfare of their communities.
