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The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdurosheed Akanbi, has stated that he remains unperturbed by criticisms trailing his continuous preaching of the oneness of God, insisting that he will press on with his advocacy for monotheism regardless of public sentiment.
The monarch made this known while speaking with journalists in Iwo, Osun State, during the annual Odun Eledumare (God Festival), where he also announced a N5 million financial empowerment programme for traditional rulers and religious leaders.
Addressing his critics, Oba Akanbi said, “No, never bothered. I am working according to the dictates of Yoruba monotheism, which is Olodumare. You won’t see me speaking any other language here. Normally, I prefer to speak my Yoruba language. I want to upgrade the Yoruba language so that we can use it to teach Physics and all kinds of subjects and courses.”
Speaking on cultural reforms, the monarch clarified that he does not reject Yoruba heritage, but rather seeks to purge it of violence and retrogressive elements.
“When it comes to culture, I want a culture that is free of violence. I accept all Yoruba cultures and traditions, but those that need modifications, particularly traditions that promote violence, must be addressed. It is not that I totally reject them, but I understand that change takes time,” he explained.
Drawing comparisons with global standards, Oba Akanbi noted that while the Yoruba masquerade festival is one of the greatest in the world and serves a role similar to mascots in civilized societies, it had historically been plagued by criminality.
“Before I became king, whenever masquerades appeared, nobody opened their shops. There were cases of rape, killings, and people being attacked with cutlasses. But within the 11 years of my reign, these incidents have reduced because I have consistently campaigned against violence in our culture.
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“Today, we can organize the Egungun festival without violence. We held one this year, and it was peaceful, although there are still isolated incidents. We are working to make Yoruba culture and tradition the envy of the world,” Oba Akanbi said.
Reflecting on his role and the anniversary of his ascension, the Oluwo noted, “You can see that I am culturally oriented. I am a king. You cannot simply describe me as a traditional ruler, cultural ruler, or religious ruler; I am an Oba. However, any form of violence in our culture, tradition, or religion is intolerable, and I will not tolerate it.
“Today, I am celebrating 11 years on the throne, and we are holding the Olodumare Festival, a festival dedicated to the Most High God, our own Olodumare. I celebrate God through this festival as His representative.
“I believe this is a calling. No prophet has ever been called from the Black nation, but what God has called from the Black nation today is a king, and I am the one. I have been called to raise the glory of Olodumare, the King of all kings,” Oluwo said.
On the N5 million empowerment initiative, the monarch disclosed that beneficiaries would be drawn from diverse groups, including members of the royal institution, princes, chiefs, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Muslim community, traditional initiates, and ordinary residents of the town.
“They will be selected randomly rather than through a predetermined process. Each beneficiary will receive N50,000, with 100 people expected to benefit from the program,” Oluwo added.
The event was well-attended by eminent personalities, including traditional rulers and the Chairman of Mutual Benefits Assurance and Osun West Senatorial candidate of the APC, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi.
