The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has alleged that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, is behind efforts to remove him from his position as the Oluwo of Iwo.
In a statement issued in Osogbo, Osun State, on Friday, Oba Akanbi claimed that despite playing a significant role in Oba Ogunwusi’s ascension to the throne, the Ooni has been working against him.
Describing the alleged plot as futile, the Oluwo stated, “No one can remove me as Oluwo. No one can kill me, and no one can bring me down.”
He asserted that he had been instrumental in ensuring Oba Ogunwusi’s emergence as the Ooni of Ife in 2015 but was shocked that the same individual was allegedly attempting to undermine his reign.
“God used me to play a vital role in the installation of Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi as the Ooni of Ife, but to my surprise, the same person I helped to the throne has been planning against me.
“He orchestrated my suspension from the Osun State Council of Obas meeting, despite the AIG being a key witness to what transpired. He is also influencing a few kings in Iwoland to destabilize my domain.
“He confronted me last month in the presence of the state governor, accusing me of discouraging deity worship. He was also among those who used my former wife against me.
“He should continue his efforts to remove me, but he will be the one to regret it. Those who attempted it in the past have failed,” Oba Abdulrosheed added.
The monarch recalled a recent Council of Obas meeting, where he claimed the Ooni challenged him over his stance against deity worship.
Delving into how he helped the Ooni in the past, he said, “In 2015, I received a call from Akin Daodu, a close associate of the then Prince Adeyeye Ogunwusi, now Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
He told me that Prince Adeyeye needed to speak with me regarding his aspiration to the throne of Ooni of Ife. I told Akin Daodu that I was not aware a successor had been chosen.
“I acknowledged my familiarity with the family because we lived in the same area in Akobo, Ibadan before I traveled. Although I knew him, I was closer to his brother, Tunji Ogunwusi, who was my peer. Tunji Ogunwusi, popularly called Dodo, and I were about eight years older than him.
“As a friend and peer, I had earlier reached out to Tunji Ogunwusi, but he dismissed me, perhaps because I had sought his help before I got a reliable connection. He did not take me seriously.
“When Prince Adeyeye spoke to me, he requested a face-to-face meeting for a more in-depth discussion. I advised against him traveling to Osogbo, where I lived at the time, due to security concerns at the peak of his ambition.
“I traveled to Base Hotel, Ibadan, to meet him. During our discussion, he revealed that most stakeholders, including the governor, had already endorsed him, but a court case filed by a few aggrieved individuals posed a challenge. He expressed concern over the litigation, and I assured him that if that was his only obstacle, he was already a king.
“In his presence, I contacted the relevant individual and made my request. The case was decided on a Friday, and by Saturday, Adeyeye became Ooni. This was before my own enthronement.
“I was not selfish—I assisted him before securing my own throne. A few months later, God used the same connection to make me the Oluwo of Iwoland.
“To my astonishment, the same person I helped rise to the throne is now working against me. He orchestrated my suspension from the Osun State Council of Obas despite the AIG being a key witness to what transpired,” Oba Akanbi concluded.
