President Jonathan Snubbed By Oba Of Benin
Nigerian President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan received the shock of his life when an Oba refused to meet with him . Jonathan who was at the palace of Oba of Benin in Edo state was stood up for some minutes when the Oba refused to meet him in the palace. NigerianEcho found out that it took persuasion from prominent indigenes of Edo State before the Oba could meet with the President in his private office. The Oba insisted he would not meet the President and Commander in chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The people reasoned that not meeting with the President would send a bad signal and that would be seen as a disrespect to the office of the President.
Having sat in the palace waiting for an Oba who was supposed to even usher him in, the President’s decision to agree to 
meet the Oba inside his private office was seen by some as a sign of weakness. The President, at some point in time before his election in 2011 was in a church and knelt down before a Pastor in the glare of the public. The Pastor later placed a hand on his head while praying for him, an action seen to be un-presidential. Another source also confided in NigerianEcho that President Jonathan defer to the Senate President, David Mark, too much and in a manner suggestive of a timid leader. It was gathered that he addresses the Senate President with “sir”, a man who is number three in his administration.
People wondered what Gen. Muhammed Buhari would do if he were to be the President. As Military Head of State, he was reported to have suspended an Emir in the North and an Oba in the Southwest for an act not as bad as the one committed by the Oba of Benin. According to a commentator, Segun Awe, the Oba should be queried. “Are we running monarchy system? Why would an Oba disrespect the office of the president? No matter what, Jonathan is our President, and he must be accorded the respect required for that office and I must say the Oba should be suspended for that action”, Awe said.
It remains to be seen what fate would befall the Royal father that treated the President of the Country with disrespect even as the gubernatorial election in Edo State slated for July 20th approaches.
