I was trying to take my seat, The ‘handshake snub’ wasn’t intentional — Olubadan

The Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, yesterday, dismissed insinuations making the rounds on social media that he deliberately snubbed the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, during a recent public function in Ibadan, Oyo State, insisting that the incident was neither intentional nor disrespectful.

In a chat with newsmen in Ibadan, Oba Ladoja described the incident as a misunderstanding that had been blown out of proportion, stressing that his actions were guided by circumstance rather than any form of royal discourtesy.

According to him, his movement at the event was influenced by protocol and timing, as he arrived slightly late and attempted to take his seat quietly without disrupting proceedings.

The Olubadan said: “There was no intention whatsoever. What happened was not deliberate. It has been misinterpreted, especially on social media.

“When I go late to a place, I try to bring good news. At the mosque, when prayers are ongoing, you wait until they form a line and then you join appropriately. I was simply trying to take my seat before anyone would say I could not move again.

“My seat was sandwiched between Soun and Alaafin. I had to pass through some people to get there. I didn’t make any decision to avoid or ignore anyone. Why should I?

“If you watch the full video, you will see me greeting people, including the governor. But social media has a way of taking things out of context.”

On whether he had reached out to address any perceived grievances arising from the incident, the Olubadan said: “I don’t think anyone was being offensive, and I don’t see the issue as an insult to anybody,” he said.

The Olubadan, who restated his broader vision of unity and development, said: “My goal is to unite the present generation and those coming after us. We must raise standards, especially in education, and focus on what truly brings progress to our society.”