It may be the beginning of the end for the controversial monarch of Iwo town in Osun State, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi , the Oluwo of Iwo as 12 influential chiefs in the town, Wednesday, demanded his removal.
The group of Chiefs, which called themselves the Concerned Kingmakers of Iwoland, made the demand in a petition to Governor Adegboyega Oyetola in which they accused the monarch of engaging in acts unbecoming of a traditional ruler.
In the petition dated September 9, 2020, titled: Petition for the removal of Oba Adewale Akanbi (Oluwo of Iwo) from the throne of Iwoland, the chiefs chronicled Oba Akanbi’s alleged iniquities as including: declaring himself ‘Emperor’ shortly after his coronation in 2016, a title alien to Iwo history, culture and tradition; denigrating the highly revered throne of the Ooni of Ife, in July of the same year, declaring that all Yoruba men were entitled to the stool of the Ooni.
The Concerned Kingmakers of Iwoland also accused Oba Akanbi of rancorous behavior by fighting distinguished personalities within and outside his domain.
“Oba Adewale Akanbi has penchant for fighting notable personalities within and outside Iwoland,” the Kingmakers wrote. “At the moment, Oba Adewale fought Chief Abiola Ogundokun, Imran Adio, (a leading Islamic cleric) whom he removed as Otun Ajanasi. He insulted the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Orangun of Ila, and other prominent Obas in the state.”
However, the besieged Oba replied the Kingmakers, through his Press Secretary, Alli Ibrahim, saying the petitioners were instigated by “a detractor.”
“The detractor has gone beyond many times to discredit Oba Akanbi and failed serially,” the statement said. “The recent was to divide the kingmakers, but it was dead on arrival. The achievements of Oluwo endeared him to Iwo (people) more. You can’t run down what your children may benefit (from) in the future.”
