His Imperial Majesty, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale
Akanbi, the Oluwo of Iwoland has dropped a bombshell.
Oluwo in a statement by his Press Secretary, Alli Ibraheem, said;
“As a natural paramount ruler, I have the right that no one can question to crown an Oba in the diaspora. Something is wrong, we cannot all say things should continue going wrong.”
“Many of those aspiring to be Obas have come to me, sought my endorsement because they know I have the authority but due process must be followed to respect our tradition”.
“I’m afraid of the consequences the installation will pose in the nearest future. Those crowned have no status in a traditional institution. They may wake up one day and claim to be natural paramount ruler like Ooni, Alaafin, Orangun, Owa, Oluwo, etc. because they were crowned directly and never upgraded from Báálé (head of the compound), Báálè (head of the town) and then an Oba (king).”
“There is a process in the institution. It must be respected but many of our traditional rulers have tramped on it. Also, of traditional abomination was the uncultured language of the critics of Olugbo.”
“Many of them equally demonstrated ignorance of history. Disappointedly, few kings are excited when a chief threw abusing words at an Oba. No king should be excited that a chief is insulting an Oba. It is a clear display of a divided house.”
“Many other first-class Yoruba Obas have installed monarch for Diaspora without due process. It is unfair to totally Condemn the action of Olugbo. I’m equally a first-class natural paramount ruler. I have the right to install diaspora king but I’ve never grown any.”
“It is not a crime to do so but due process must be respected. Many of our colleagues have a fine similar thing in the past but maybe those criticism Olugbo were not on the planet then. We should be balanced and objective while setting the record”
This is coming after his fellow monarch, Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan, Olugbo of Ugbo was strongly criticised for recently crowning Obas for Yoruba in the diaspora.