Group Seeks Deposition of Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi

–Accuses Monarch Of Thuggery, Disrespect For Rule Of Law, Gross Misconducts

Omo Oduduwa In The Diaspora has called for the removal of the Oluwo of Iwo in Osun State, Oba Abdul Rasheed Adewale Akanbi over issues bothering on thuggery, disrespect for rule of law, misconducts and conducts detrimental to the office of the Oluwo and peaceful co-existence of the people and residents of Iwo, traditional institution, culture and religion.

These were stated in a petition, which was signed by the Group’s Managing Director, Badejo Omorinola Maureen and entitled; “Petition To Remove Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi For Misconduct And Conducts That Are Detrimental To The Office of Oluwo, Peaceful Co-Existence Of The People And Residents of Iwo And Traditional Institution, Culture And Religion.”

“We the undersigned concerned daughters, sons, and friends of Iwo -Land write this petition in the hope and expectation that the integrity of our Iwo traditional institution can be salvaged and restored to its fast-eroding values and continuous battering and exposure to public ridicule by the ‘Oluwo of two’, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi since his installation/ Declaration on the 9th November 2015.

“Our traditional stool of Iwo and Iwo land is facing the serious irreversible threat of extinction in the hands of the current Oluwo who has made it his life ambition to destroy, or at best maim the traditional seat of the Oba of Iwo (Oluwo),” the group said in the petition.

On thuggery, the group alleged that no sooner than the Oluwo was installed into office in 2015, and in particular in 2017, “than he got involved in a physical fracas (slapped) and criminally damaged the property of Oba Kadiri Adeoye, the Oluwo of two Oke resulting in the Oluwo’s summons to the Osogbo Magistrates Court.”

It was added that since this incident, the Oluwo has been seen in public places conducting himself as a “radio-political thug and encouraging the sons, daughters of Iwo and residents to take up arms against a traditional opponent in the likes of Oluwo of Iwo Oke, Oba Kadiri Adeoye (who was a King of almost 10 years before the Oluwo.

“In a similar vein, the Oluwo has summoned and addressed people of Iwo at his palace issuing threatening words and conducting himself in a manner that is unbefitting of the Oba of Iwo.”

While accusing the embattled monarch of disrespect for rule of law, Omo Oduduwa In The Diaspora stated that following the Oluwo’s summons to Court by the Osogbo Magistrates Court in 2017, “the Oluwo did not only show disregards for the Nigerian Judicial system by not attending court, but also issued statements to the fact that such arraignment was beneath him and that whatever he does in two is beyond public criticism and accountability.

“This has not on brought the traditional stool of Iwo in conflict with our judicial system, but has encouraged his thugs to disrespect the law and commit atrocities in his name consequently threatening the peace of Iwo land.”

The Oluwo was also accused of going against culture and traditional values of the land by allegedly bringing lwo into public ridicule, when he addressed the people of Iwo land in public in 2017 when he, “in his full traditional gear, mounted the rostrum at a petrol station in Iwo and continuously rained curses and abuses on the person of High Chief Abiola Ogundokun, thereby causing a fracture in the fabric that holds the peaceful co-existence of the people of Iwo land.

“The Oluwo also broke with tradition by placing the crown of Iwo on his ex-wife, Olori Chanel Chi, and worn in public, by her, which is a taboo, and which offends the tradition, culture and the office of Oluwo.”

On religion, the group alleged that the Oluwo, through his numerous acts, had muddled the culture/tradition of Iwo land with the Islamic religious institution in Iwo land.

He was accused of not only removing the Chief Imam of the Central Mosque, “but installed himself an Imam and led prayers in the mosque.

“This is an office (Imam) that he is not qualified for nor is he qualified to lead Islamic prayers.”

On chieftaincy values, Oluwo has allegedly devalued and debased the traditional institutions of Iwo land by issuing public threats and insults to the High Chiefs of lwo, the likes of Chief Abiola Ogundokun.

The group stated that “this has threatened the traditional checks and balances put in place since time immemorial, by our forefathers, and made a mockery of the morals and values of the true Iwo people and Yorubaland at large.

“At a point, the Oluwo declared himself an emir/sultan thereby surrendering Iwo land to the subjugation of the north and the sultanate in Sokoto. This amounts to a treasonable act for which he should have been immediately dethroned.”

It was further alleged that the Oluwo is generally known and notorious for substance abuse and smoking cannabis against the proscription in the Criminal Code of Nigeria.

The group alleged that the Oluwo has been seen on video wrapping and smoking cannabis in the palace.

This act, they said continues to becloud his judgment in crucial matters that concerns Iwo and his utterances on the stool of Iwo, which they said had encouraged the people to disregard the law.

They added that his alleged persistent smoking of Cannabis is a Criminal act that warrants prosecution.

“We have had sight of his undisclosed previous criminal conviction in the USA for the offence of fraud, false instrument by altering document (counterfeiting). As a result, he was jailed and subsequently deported to Nigeria in 1999. His then assumed name was Segun Adewale Adeonigbagbe.

“In 2011, on the 21st of November, he was sentenced to term imprisonment by District Judge, William. M. Skretny in Buffalo N.Y. in relation to an offence of attempting to re-enter the United States after being deported following his conviction for Fraud as stated above which is an aggravated felony in 1998 for fraud (uttering forged document)

“He failed to disclose all of these convictions to the Kingmakers in Iwo or the people of lwo before he ascended the throne as their king.

“A person with bad character as him would not have been made a king if he disclosed his previous convictions to the kingmakers and the People of Iwo,” the group stated.

The group stressed that non-disclosure and the “criminal misrepresentation of himself as a man of good character with no previous criminal convictions, reprimand and caution is enough to disqualify him from contesting the stool of Oluwo in the first place. Iwo stool does not need a criminal.”

It was further alleged that the Oluwo had been captured on video admitting being involved in credit card fraud while resident in Canada.

He was also said to have been seen inviting people to use ‘Egbe’ to travel to the USA treasury to cart dollars and bring to him.

He was allegedly seen inviting people to approach him to seek counsel on how to accomplish such feats.

“A man with bad character and disposition towards misconduct/crime does not qualify to be the King of Iwo and Iwoland,” the group said.

It was alleged that the Oluwo is notorious for sleeping with numerous girls/women who are under the age of 16 with promises to marry them.

“At a point, this led the people of lwo to rise against the monarch when he deflowered a 19-year-old girl under the pretext of marrying her and making her the Queen.

“He reneged on this promise thereby threatening public peace and tranquillity of Iwo land,” the petition read.

“On numerous occasions, the Oluwo has been recorded to be using threatening words against traditional chiefs.

“He is presently facing criminal prosecution for slapping another King (Oba D. Akinropo the Agbowu of Ogbagba in Iwoland) in the presence of an Assistant Inspector General of Police Bashir Makama on Friday the 14th of February 2020 during a mediation exercise.

“He has since continued to conduct himself in a way that continues to threaten public peace in Iwo land. These acts/conducts are recorded in a video that has been made available for public viewing.

“In 2016 and earlier 2017, the Oluwo of Iwo Oke Oba kadiri Adeoye dragged Oluwo of Iwo to Court for Criminal Damage to his property and other criminal offenses,” the group added in the petition.

Oluwo was said to have institutionalized thuggery and engaged miscreants to harass, threaten, control, and debase chiefs and people of Iwo and conducted himself as an enemy of the state and people.

He was also alleged to have blurred the lines between traditional and political institutions by veering into active political activities which have caused mistrust among the people of lwo.

“The above some (not all) of the reasons why well-meaning indigenes of Iwo and residents have become concerned with how Oluwo conducts and carries himself both in the palace and in public.

“Our concern is that except these ugly incidences are curtailed the likelihood of these escalating is high.

“The consequences will be things for the residents, daughters, and sons of Iwo land to bear both now and in the future.

“We the undersigned and the entire daughters, sons, well-wishers, and residents write this petition and strongly appeal for the Oluwo to be immediately suspended, investigated, were culpable, removed, and punished in accordance with customary law and the criminal laws of Nigeria.

“His selection and installation were based on a premise founded in fraud and crime,” the petition read.