By Richard Akintade, Osogbo
The Olowu of Kuta and the Chairman of Supreme Council of Owu Obas, Oba Hameed Adekunle Makama, has refuted a story credited to him, accusing the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari of not taking care of traditional rulers in the country.
Oba Makama in a statement he personally signed on Tuesday and made available to newsmen in Kuta said the story which was published by some section of the media (not The Conclave) was malicious and uncalled for.
The traditional ruler said he was fully aware, as a first class Oba and also an educated one for that matter, that the president was not in charge of payment of salaries of traditional rulers in Osun and other states.
Oba Makama said there was no where he granted such an interview, accusing the president of not taking care of traditional rulers in the state and in the country at large.
The Olowu said, though he was an advocate of a better welfare for traditional rulers in the country, but he had never accused the president of neglecting them.
Oba Makama, however, urged journalists to always verify their information before publishing, adding that spreading of unverified or fake news was not in the best interest of the country.
He said: “My attention has been drawn to a news report credited to me of accusing President Buhari of neglecting traditional rulers in the country.
“I want to say categorically that the news is fake, unverified and malicious.
“There is no doubt that I addressed a news conference in my palace on Sunday, July 4, 2021 on issue bordering on the unity of the country, but there was nowhere I accused the President of not taking care of the traditional rulers.
“As a first class traditional ruler, who has travelled far and near, I know the President is not responsible for the payment of salaries of traditional rulers and there is no basis of accusing him on that.
“I therefore dissociated myself from the said report because it did not emanate from my palace”.
Oba Makama said the traditional institution in the country would continue to support the president’s efforts in achieving a stronger united Nigeria.
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