The Council of Obas in Osun State has suspended the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi for misconduct and set up a committee to recommend further decision on him.
At its meeting in Osogbo, the state capital on Friday, the Council said the conduct of the Iwo monarch since he became Oba does not portray the traditional institution well.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi who is the permanent chairman of the Council presided over the meeting which was attended by large number of traditional rulers in the state.
But Oba Akanbi said he was never suspended as Oluwo of Iwoland and that he still remains the one and only Oluwo of Iwoland.
Oluwo said “Osun State Traditional Council has only recommended my suspension from the council meetings and activities for six months on the guise that my conduct (been too flashy, stylish, human rights defender and swagging)”.
Oluwo said the decision of the Council is subject to the approval of the state Governor, Mr Gboyega Oyetola and that he awaits the position.
The Council of Obas at the meeting listened to Oba Akanbi and the Agbowu of Ogbaagbaa, Oba Dhikrulahi Akinropo over the scuffle at a peace meeting in Osogbo on February 14, 2020.
After stating their sides, the council set up a committee led by the Orangun of Ila, Oba Wahab Adedotun to carry out proper investigation and recommend disciplinary actions for anyone found guilty among the two monarchs over the fight.
The monarchs were in Osogbo, the state capital for a peace meeting with the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 11, Bashir Makama, but could not contain their temperament and threw caution into the winds and the peace meeting turned to fisticuff right before the police peacemaker.
According to eyewitnesses account, because of the manner they addressed each other, using abusive words and raining insults on each other, the monarchs had a faceoff, engaged in altercation which led to scuffles in which Oba Dhirulahi sustained injury and was rushed to the State Hospital, Asubiaro. He was later discharged and he returned to his domain.
Daily Trust on Sunday learnt that the AIG invited the monarchs to resolve the lingering issues on controversies on land matters. The Oluwo who is said to be the leader of the traditional rulers in the Iwo area had cautioned other monarchs to stop selling land so as to preserve the property for generation unborn but his appeal fell into their deaf ears. The Agbowu maintained that he has the right to sell the land in his domain and that the Oluwo cannot stop him since he was not selling land in Iwo. But Oluwo insisted that his authority covers the Agbowu’s territory and that he is in position to ensure preservation of the land that Agbowu was selling.
Speaking on the incident, Agbowu said “the AIG invited us to his office in Osogbo for the peace meeting and we obliged him. At the meeting, he told us that being the custodians of our culture and leaders in the towns, we should allow peace to reign. Oluwo then stood up and said, as the leader of all Obas in Ayedire, Olaoluwa and the remaining towns in the area, other Obas were selling lands and he didn’t want that to happen anymore. But we told him that the lands we sold belonged to our towns and not Iwo. The Olu of Ile-Igbo Kingdom said he only sold lands in Ile-Igbo. Onigege also said the same thing, and I also said the lands I sold belonged to Ogbagbaa, my domain.
“The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs who was at the meeting then said since the issue had to do with land; we should rather go to court. He said he would report the matter to the governor. But Oluwo said should they do that, they were calling for war. I did not even see it coming; he just sprang forward from his seat, and asked why I was speaking while he was talking. He started punching me where I sat. It was the AIG that came to my rescue by pulling him away from me. I think the ring he wore or the car key he held while beating me gave me the wound on my face.
“The lands I sold solely belonged to Ogbagbaa and I have never trespassed on his land. I have been a traditional ruler for 24 years and I know the worth of the institution I represent. Have you ever heard of an Oba exchanging blows or fighting? I can’t be part of that madness; that was why I held my peace. If I also had fought back, I would have constituted a nuisance. I went to hospital for treatment because of the way he assaulted and punched me. I also received a tetanus injection to prevent a virus infection. I was supposed to be on bed rest and not return to my place on Friday, but I didn’t want to spread panic in my community. That was why I left for Ogbagbaa. I went back to the hospital to continue my treatment,” he stressed.
In his reaction, the Oluwo denied beating the Agbowu, saying that there was a desperate gang up against him by some Obas who are in the habit of selling land in their domain. He explained that what transpired between him and the Ogbaagba monarch was the fallout of a courageous move on his part to put a stop to economic oppression against the downtrodden by kings in his domain.
According to him “I did not punch Agbowu of Ogbaagba, although there was altercation that almost resulted to exchange of blows, but that didn’t happen at all. I brought him and other Obas to the police to talk to them on the need to stop selling land that did not belong to them. I am fighting corruption in a traditional way. They are selling land for small money which I kick against. I did not touch Agbowu of Ogbaagba, although he was aggressive and we almost had altercation but I did not punch him.”
Oluwo continued: “If I am that boxing king that you people are calling me, I should have done that in Iwo and not in Osogbo. I personally initiated the peace meeting in which I involved the AIG when those kings refused to desist from land grabbing despite my several warnings and advice.”
Meanwhile, the state government has described the incident as very unfortunate, saying that traditional rulers ought to protect and preserve the sacredness of the institutions. The Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation in the state, Mrs. Funke Egbemode in a press statement said such situations where royal fathers engage in public display of temperament do not edify the revered stools of their forebears.
According to the statement “we believe in the dignity of traditional stools and sacredness of royalty. We will continue to preach peace among all our citizens and harmonious relationship among our traditional rulers. 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 the Obas in the state. We do not want any crisis in any part of the state,” she added.
