In the whole of Nigeria, the first king to accept Islam was Oluwo —Oba Akanbi, Oluwo of Iwo

In this interview by KEHINDE OYETIMI, the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi, Telu I, speaks on both local and national issues.

Iwo just held the first edition of Odun Olodumare festival. What informed this?

When the will of God is expressed, I don’t joke with it. I must do it because that’s why he appointed me to this position. I’m not the second or third in command after God. God has representatives and messengers. We can talk about the spirit of God. Messengers are prophets, pastors, imams but representatives of God on earth are the kings. The Yoruba have Olodumare as God. The only people that represent Olodumare on earth are the kings. Our fathers were the messengers that God sent. Messengers must not be worshipped. Nobody needs to be worshipped except God. It was a mistake for people to start worshipping our fathers, they are orisas  (deities); they are messengers from God. I’m not a messenger, but a representative. The position of the Oluwo wasn’t created by deities; we came to this world and met the position. It is people that become orisas. In the dark days, they were deified but Olodumare is the God of the Yoruba. A town that stands with God will be the head. How will Yoruba be the head? We should hold on to God.

The Odun Olodumare festival will be greater than any other festival. It is God; he doesn’t share his name with any other person: Jehovah, Yahweh, Allah! This festival is here to stay with the inspiration and power of God. I’m not a prophet, pastor or imam, but a representative of God.

Does it then mean that you’re against what we generally refer to as traditional African religion or deity worship?

I’m not against deity worship, but I cannot have that here. The only thing I want to tell them is that they are not above the kings.  They shouldn’t put their idols above the kings. They call the kings ‘igba keji orisa’ (second-in-command to the deity). When a king is greeted as ‘unquestionable’, you now put him as an assistant to your  deity or messenger. God has sent me to other traditional rulers who are still in the dark. God has made me to tell them to come into the light. You are not the kabiyesi; God is the kabiyesi.  When they greet you as ‘kabiyesi’ from now, you’ll tell them ‘kabiyesi Olohun’; you’re not second to any deity, you represent God, that’s what Almighty God said. The only taboo in my palace, which should be in any king’s palace, is idol/deity worship. If they have it as their heritage, they should take them to the museum, that’s where our history lies. History can only be referenced, you cannot apply it.

How do you strike a balance with this knowledge of yours in relation to your subjects and other traditional rulers?

When God reveals something new, it’s not easy to accept it. I go through a lot of opposition that has caused me a lot of money, but when God says this is it, you don’t compromise the legacies with money.

The Traditional Religion Worshippers’ Association in Osun State is actually demanding that you apologise to them. What do you have to say about that?

When it comes to that, I’m a natural paramount ruler. They are not kings, they don’t talk for kings. When it comes to kingship, let any paramount ruler challenge me that the stool was made from an orisa (deity). Before Ifa, there was God; God must have chosen you before you were born. Ifa is a means of knowing things and we appreciate that. It’s just like the soothsayer. Ifa, therefore, doesn’t choose Kings, God does. You said you’re king of Ogboni but you belong to a town, let your king come talk to me. I was born with the crown; I was never raised by the white man. I’ve been a king before the whites came. Natural paramount rulers are different from just paramount rulers, which is in turn different from rulers. I am a natural paramount ruler of Iwo land.

There was the recent issue with the installation of the grand mufti which eventually led to a court case; couldn’t it have been handled differently?

I’m a king over Christians, Muslims, deity or idol worshippers. I know traditional religion is the religion that recognises one God. All other ones, deity or idol worshippers are not traditional. After God made man, he made religion which can be seen in the oneness of God Almighty. In the early 17th century, our forefathers chose Islam. In the whole of Nigeria, the first king that would accept Islam was the Oluwo of Iwo. Sokoto caliphate started 1804, that’s when they declared a caliphate, and they had a sultan which was Uthman Dan Fodio. He put leaders called emirs. He is the only king in the North. The Oluwo is installed with a turban, not crown, that’s the tradition. Kingship is the equivalent of a sultan in Islam. Oluwo is the equivalent of a sultan. This place is called ‘Iwo ilu Alfa’ meaning the land of the cleric. Oluwo has been the one who appoints an Imam in Iwo. Even if it’s time to appoint an imam and there’s no king, no one can appoint the imam, there has to be a king.

No Yoruba imam has installed Waziri, we have installed Waziri. I have installed grand mufti and I’ve given out certificate. They are only kings in Islam. In Mecca, the grand Kardi appoints the imam. So, there must be a structure for Islam in Iwo. Whether they like it or not, the structure of Islam comes under Iwo because it is the first town to receive Islam. Iwo is the headquarters of Islam.

You have called for a review of what you described as ‘the old other’ in Osun in terms of assigning hierarchy to traditional rulers. What exactly do you propose?

We should have the natural paramount rulers, then we should also have the paramount rulers assigned by government. For instance, in Ogun State, there are four paramount rulers, the Akarigbo, the Awujale, the Alake, and the Olu Ilaro. We don’t have such setup in Osun. There’s no structure. There must be structure in Osun State.

Has the lack of structure cost Osun State anything?

It’s costing the state a lot. If the traditional structure is in disarray, the whole state is in disarray because traditional governance is paramount in every setup, even than the governor or the president of this country. We know our people; the governor doesn’t know the people in Iwo. When governors talk to only politicians, they will be misdirected. So, the governor has to talk to the king first because he knows his people.

Are you saying in terms of the structures, traditional rulers are not doing enough?

It’s not that they are not doing enough, they are not empowered. They are toothless, we have nothing. The constitution recognises that we are traditional rulers; aside that, there is no empowerment.

Is this why we are beginning to have an upsurge in cases of kidnapping, killings and all sorts?

Everything! It’s not only traditional rulers. There is upsurge even in security lapses because when PDP is ruling, the APC is redundant. They won’t want to contribute to the administration of the PDP. They know that the winner takes all. If a winner takes all, what kind of politics is that?

You fought in a war in Liberia; do you think that the current agitation for secession in Nigeria can be resolved through force?

It can be resolved if they put it in the hands of people like us, the traditional rulers. This is because of our experience of being closer to our people. I talked to the Obi of Onitsha in Lagos, we had a chat. There are ways the government can involve traditional rulers. For instance, I know how to handle this situation.

Are you saying the government is not listening to you as traditional rulers?

I think so, they are not listening enough and when we advise, they don’t follow our advice. I think I’m an asset to this nation, my advice is important because I’m a detribalised king. I’ve gone out of the box to dress as an emir, Obi, Igwe, a Yoruba king, and also as a westerner. Migration makes a town or a city. As a king, I see a lot of things happening, people are bitter. How do you console the people? It’s only the traditional rulers that can call a national conference to talk to them.

There was a time you offered a piece of advice on how to handle the Sunday Igboho debacle, what’s your position on that? Are you not doing anything to resolve the issue?

When I brought a solution, Sunday Igboho said he didn’t want my help. I have people that I rule over. If I am offering to help and I’m insulted, it’s an insult on my people. I don’t want to take any other step that will attract insult.  I’m still doing what I can do underground.  There are things that led to why he came up. Things like power sharing, employment, but then, I see things in different forms and ways. That’s why I’m the leader of the people, I can see beyond. A leader must be able to envisage, lead right and that’s why Iwo is growing and developing. This is because I love my people, I love developing. I am a Canadian; I left Canada to serve my people wholeheartedly.  I’ve travelled to over 50 countries in the world. I speak six different languages; I’ve lived among different people and I think I know how to resolve issues.

There are serious agitations ahead the general election in 2023. They are talking about moving power back to the South; some are saying power must remain in the North. What is your position?

May the will of God be done. Everyone will like to become the president but God chooses the president, not man.

How do you relax?

I work a lot. I’m a workaholic; I’ll relax when I’m older. Now that I have strength, I’ll use the strength to serve my people. According to the yoruba proverb, ‘when you’re young, you utilise the strength of your body’. So, I’ll relax when I’m older.

What are your greatest challenges as a leader?

I don’t have challenges; I let God bear my burdens, I see no obstacles. When things come, I know God is ready to lift me high again. Everything is a ladder for me to climb to the top. I give the glory to God. I believe God resolves all issues. When people are against me, it’s a sign I want to go higher. I’m a king blessed and inspired by God. Everything is positive for me.

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