Luwo Gbagida: Oluwo frowns at report ‘distorting Yoruba history’

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has frowned at reports distorting Yoruba history regarding the only female monarch of Ile-Ife, Iya Luwo Gbagida.

In a statement, the monarch pointed out that the BBC documentary referred to her as Luwo Gbagidi instead of Luwo Gbagida.

He maintained, “It is imperative for us to respond to the BBC story before it misleads and forms the basis of historical knowledge for the innocent sons and daughters of Yoruba land.

“We want to state that her correct name is Luwo Gbagida, not Luwo Gbagidi. Contrary to the report published by BBC Yoruba, Iya Luwo Gbagida never bore the title of Ooni but Alaafin, which translates to Olofin in the Ile-Ife language.

“Oduduwa used the title of Alaafin after conquering Ife. The title of Ooni was first used by the second ruler of Ife, Obamakin Osangangan, as they were from the shrine priesthood lineage.

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“Samuel Johnson, a freed slave of Oyo origin, was the one who used the title Ooni for all Ife kings to avoid rivaling the king of his ancestral home. Luwo Gbagida was the 16th Alaafin of Ife, not the 21st as reported by BBC Yoruba.

“Equally, Adekola Telu was never the first Oluwo. The first Oluwo was Olumade Paarin, who was instructed by Luwo not to wear the crown except when he saw a place where parrots were hatching eggs.

“She was our mother. The name Luwo was given to her in remembrance of Iwo, where her lineage initially relocated from before settling in Ile-Ife.”

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