The Iwo Traditional Council has demanded the immediate suspension of the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, for allegedly assaulting the Agbowu of Ogbaagbaa, Oba Dikrullahi Akinropo. The Oluwo was alleged to have physically attacked Oba Akinropo during a peace meeting called by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 11, Bashir Makama, in Osogbo on Friday to settle a land dispute in Iwo.
The development has drawn media attention and attracted public outrage.
Meanwhile, protesters from Ayedire and Ola-Oluwa local government areas on Monday stormed the Osun State secretariat in Osogbo to demand Oba Akanbi’s suspension.
The protesters from Agberire, Ilemowu, Ogbaagbaa, Ile Ogbo, Oluponna and Kuta said the Oluwo must be suspended for peace to reign in Iwo and its environs.
The Iwo Traditional Council told Governor Adegboyega Oyetola in a communiqué after their emergency meeting at the palace of Agbowu of Ogbaagbaa on Sunday to also suspend Oba Akanbi as chairman of their council for his behaviour.
They added, “That the police should be encouraged to conclude their investigations and arraign Oba Adewale Akanbi immediately.”
The obas called for the creation of separate traditional councils for Ayedire and Ola-Oluwa in the communiqué signed by monarchs including Oba Akinropo; the Onigege of Igege, Oba Kazeem Orioye; the Olowu of Kuta, Oba Hammed Oyelude; the Olupo of Oluponna, Oba Oyeleso Oyebamiji; the Oonifin of Ikonifin, Oba Solomon Oyewo; the Olu of Ile-Ogbo, Oba Abibu Adetoyese; the Oloja of Agberire, Oba Oye Alajide; and the Onisara of Feesu, Oba Alamu Oparonke.
The monarchs urged the state government to “approve all pending applications at the Ministry of Local Government Bureau of Chieftaincy for prescribed authorities for the Part II obas from Iwo Zone, whose applications are being frustrated by the intransigence of Oba Adewale Akanbi.”
They called for the recognition of all beaded crown wearers not in the good books of the Oluwo.
The protesters, who were received by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Rasaq Adeosun, and the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Funke Egbemode, claimed the Oluwo directed members of the Iwo Traditional Council to obtain receipts for land sale in their domains.
The Asiwaju of Ile Ogbo, Raphael Nafiu, 87, who spoke on behalf of the protesters, urged the governor to create a separate council for the traditional rulers in Ayedire and Ola-Oluwa LGAs.
Adeosun promised the protesters that Oyetola would address the matter.
In a statement, the state government described the clash between Oba Akanbi and Oba Akinropo as “unfortunate and avoidable.”
The statement by Egbemode read in part, “Government is aware that the State Council of Traditional Rulers has stepped into the matter and we are confident that the council will take appropriate steps to preserve peaceful coexistence among obas in the state.”
On his part, the Oluwo on Monday asked his critics to leave him to God and stop judging him.
He said, “It was a case of the oppressor fighting back against the defender of the oppressed, their victims. During the course of the meeting, the Agbowu tried to play out their orchestrated plan when he tried to poke his walking stick in my eyes and I quickly responded to prevent him from achieving their plan, to turn me to a blind king.
“My palace had been inundated by complaints of how people in Iwoland had been sent to prison because these monarchs had influenced cases against them through their accomplices.
“I found the complaints and protests of these people to be true after I had carried out my own personal investigation. I am disappointed when most Nigerians allow sentiments to override their sense of reasoning and hail bad leaders. But I have vowed to continuously fight corruption in the traditional system just like President Buhari is fighting political corruption by turning a deaf hear to critics.”
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