A group of 12 chiefs in Iwo town has demanded the removal of the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, for allegedly engaging in acts unbecoming of a traditional ruler.
The group, under the aegis of the Concerned Kingmakers of Iwoland, made the demand in a petition to the Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola.
The letter, dated September 9 was titled, ‘Petition for the removal of Oba Adewale Akanbi (Oluwo of Iwo) from the throne of Iwoland.’
The chiefs said Akanbi, after his coronation in 2016, declared himself ‘Emperor,’ a title they said was unknown to Iwo history, adding that in July same year, the royal father stirred another controversy when he declared that all Yoruba men were entitled to the stool of the Ooni of Ife.
The petitioners also accused him of engaging in a fight against some notable personalities within and outside his domain.
“Oba Adewale Akanbi has a penchant for fighting notable personalities within and outside Iwoland. 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,” the petition added.
But the Press Secretary to the Oluwo, Alli Ibrahim, in a statement, said some of those who signed the petition were pressured into doing it by “a detractor.”
He said, “The detractor has gone beyond many times to discredit Oba Akanbi and failed serially. 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.”
When contacted for more clarifications, two of the chiefs who signed the petition, Yekeen Bello, Osa of Iwo; and Raufu Olorunlampe, Balogun of Iwo, refused to confirm or deny signing the petition.