- Oluwo of Iwoland, the Ooni of Ife, of attempting to remove him from his position.
- The allegation was made in a statement issued in Osogbo, Osun State.
- Oba Akanbi claims he played a significant role in the Ooni’s rise to the throne.
The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has alleged that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, is behind efforts to remove him from his position as the Oluwo of Iwo.
In a statement released on Friday in Osogbo, Osun State, Oba Akanbi claimed that despite his significant role in Oba Ogunwusi’s ascension to the throne, the Ooni has been working against him.
Dismissing the purported plot as futile, the Oluwo asserted, “No one can remove me as Oluwo. No one can harm me, and no one can bring me down.”
He further stated that he was instrumental in Oba Ogunwusi’s emergence as the Ooni of Ife in 2015 and expressed disappointment that the same person he once supported is allegedly attempting to destabilize his reign.
“God used me to play a vital role in the installation of Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi as the Ooni of Ife but, to my surprise, the same person I helped to the throne has been planning evil against me.
“He orchestrated my suspension from the Osun State Council of Obas meeting against the AIG who was a star witness at what transpired. He is using a few kings in Iwoland to destabilize my territory.”
“He attacked me last month in the presence of the state Governor that I’m discouraging deity worshipping. He was part of those who used my former wife against me.
“He should keep trying to remove me. He will be the one to live to regret, his cohorts that have tried it in the past failed,” Oba Abdulrosheed added.
The monarch recalled a moment from a recent Council of Obas meeting, stating that the Ooni confronted him regarding his views on the worship of deities.
Oluwo of Iwo recounts role in Ooni’s ascension
“In 2015, I got a call from Akin Daodu, a close ally to the then Prince Adeyeye Ogunwusi, now Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi. He told me Prince Adeyeye was on the phone that he needed to talk and seek my help on his aspiration to the throne of Ooni of Ife. I told Akin Daodu that I’m not aware they have chosen Ooni designate.
“I acknowledged my affinity with the family because we stayed around the same place at Akobo, Ibadan, before I traveled. I know him then but I’m closer to his brother, Tunji Ogunwusi who was my peer then. Both myself and Tunji Ogunwusi, popularly called Dodo were about eight years older than him.
“As a friend and peer, I’ve earlier called Tunji Ogunwusi but he underrated me (O fi oju ana wo mi). Maybe because I’ve sought his help before I got an authentic link, he refused to take me seriously.
“When he was on the phone, he begged to see me face to face for in-depth discussion. I said he can’t travel to Osogbo where I stayed then because of the fragile security sensing the peak of his aspiration.
“I travelled to Base Hotel, Ibadan to meet him. We discussed and he disclosed almost all the stakeholders including the Governor have agreed but there is a litigation in court instituted by a few aggrieved people. He said his primary concern is court litigation. I asked him if that was all, he said yes. I told him he is already a king.”
“In his presence, I called the person in charge and I told the person what I wanted. The case was decided on Friday and Adeyeye became Ooni on Saturday. This was before my own enthronement.
“I was not selfish. I did his own before my own. And a few months later, God used the same link for me to become Oluwo of Iwoland.
“To my surprise, the same person I helped to the throne has been planning evil against me. He orchestrated my suspension from the Osun State Council of Obas meeting against the AIG who was a star witness at what transpired,” he submitted.
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