2023 Presidency: Who Denied Oluwo Of Iwo Right To Buy Land In Igboland?

 The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, recently declared that he cannot trust any Southeasterner to be the President of Nigeria. His stand is coming at a time the South-East is demanding for a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction, on the basis of equity. He also claimed that south easterners bar people from other parts of the country from owning properties in their domain.

Ordinarily, the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, does not deserve a response on any national issue. Especially when you know his antecedent. This is an Oba in Yoruba land that changed his title to Emir giving watery reasons for his outrageous demeaning of the exalted Yoruba traditional and most revered institution.

However, since we live in a country where the public suffers from collective amnesia, let me refresh our memory. In April 3, 2018 the Oluwo told the Osun Defender that he is the Emir of Yorubaland and that he would no longer use the Oba title. He also began to dress like a Northern Emir. According to the traditional ruler, his decision to call himself the Emir is part of efforts to unify the nation saying using the appellation “Emir” does not change his position as an Oba in Yorubaland.

Oba Akanbi said in line with the historical background of Iwo as an Islamic town, he is empowered to wear turban as the general leader of his people as well as a father of the Yoruba race.

Incensed by the action of the Oluwo, the secretary of the Adagunodo Ruling House in Iwo, Prince Semiu Oladimeji, in a press conference called on the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; and other prominent traditional rulers in Yorubaland to caution the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Adewale Akanbi, against dressing as or using the title of an emir. He said Iwo and the Oluwo were not subjugated by the Fulani, saying it was absurd for Oba Akanbi to dress like an emir and use the title to address himself.

When he discovered that the whole of the Yoruba traditional institution was against his actions and he could no longer stand the pushback against him he claimed that, Northern traditional rulers are better behaved than his counterparts from the Southwest saying Yoruba Obas are full of bickering, acrimony and enmities.

He wanted people to believe that he did it to bring Yoruba Obas together. My reading of it is that he actually wanted to be an Emir in Yorubaland if he was not resisted.

If an Oba does not know Yoruba culture he was born into, how could he speak authoritatively about Ndigbo and the country at large? He is supposed to be ignored, but he should not be ignored. As foolish as his position and postulations was, there are those who share his sentiment, especially in an election season when men of conscience are saying that for justice, fairness and equity the next president of Nigeria should be of Igbo extraction.

A few weeks ago a Pentecostal Pastor from Oluwo’s part of the world, Tunde Bakare said Igbos cannot be president because they are cursed, even though this pastor is aware that having bored mankind’s curse Jesus Christ has set everyone free from any curse, the pastor gleefully said that Igbos who are largely Christians are cursed. So there is a pattern of demonization of the Igbo ahead of 2023 presidential election. This demonization needs to be confronted before it gets out of hand.

One of the lies he spewed was that Igbos bar other Nigerians from owning properties in South East. He therefore enjoined the south easterners to rescind from their attitude of barring people from other parts of the country from owning properties in their domain. This begs the question, when did the Oluwo or any of his subjects want to buy properties in South East and they were denied?

For those who like to claim ignorance the Yorubas who I strongly believe the Oluwo was not speaking for are major players in business in South East and I will explain.

There are many who believe that church is a business in Nigeria. And Churches are largest property owners in Nigeria. Yoruba owned Churches with the properties that go with it are all over South East Nigeria raking in billions of naira for their Yoruba owners whose names are with the Corporate Affair Commission, every week.

Who sold land to Bishop David Oyedepo of Living Faith Churches to build his churches scattered all over Igboland? Who sold land to the founder of Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William F. Kumuyi that he has built churches all over the South East? Who sold land to Pastor Enoch Adeboye to plant his churches all over Igboland?

Is it not Igbos that sold the land to them? Are the certificates of occupancy of these churches given in Igbo people’s name or in the name of the founders of these churches as contained in their registration with Corporate Affairs Commission headquartered in Abuja?

In the banking sector has other Nigerians including Yorubas been denied access to land and properties to run their banks? Is it the Oluwo that sold land or properties to the owner of First City Monument Bank Limited that has branches in South East? Is it the Oluwo that sold properties to Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) that operates all over South East? Is it the Oluwo that sold land to WEMA Bank to operate in Igboland? Globacom is owned by a Yoruba, Chief Mike Adenuga. Is Oluwo saying that Globacom owns no properties in South East? And if they don’t, how do the communication giant run its business in South East? They run a remote operation in South East from Iwo? I can go on and on!

The Oluwo and people that think like him should stop telling lies. Any Nigerian who has the money can buy land or already developed property in the South East. Oluwo is free to project his preferred presidential candidate without barefaced lies against a race!