The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, has clarified that his recent goodwill message to the newly crowned His Royal Majesty, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, carried no trace of disrespect.
Obi, in a statement on Sunday, said his choice of words in addressing the monarch as “my dear elder brother” was a reflection of personal affection and respect, not a breach of protocol.
“I felicitated with my dear elder brother, the newly crowned, His Royal Majesty, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja. I have read the concerns of those aggrieved by what they considered improper addressing. Certainly, no disrespect was intended in my goodwill message to His Royal Majesty,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor explained that he often adopts the expression “my dear elder brother” when referring to individuals he holds in high esteem.
“Those who follow me would have noticed that I often prefer to use the expression ‘my dear elder brother’ when addressing individuals, especially close to me and for whom I have tremendous respect. I always refer to His Royal Majesty Igwe Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, as my very dear elder brother in the same affectionate manner,” Obi clarified.
He stressed that while protocol and authority remain important to him, intentions should be weighed in matters where misunderstandings arise.
“In matters of wrongdoing, motive is important. I assure all that my words were borne out of untrammelled goodwill,” Obi stated.
