“I Helped Ooni Of Ife Become King, Now He’s Plotting My Downfall” – Oluwo Of Iwo

The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has accused the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, of trying to remove him from his position.

In a statement issued in Osogbo, Osun State, Oluwo claimed that he played a major role in Oba Ogunwusi’s ascension to the throne but is now being targeted by the same person he once supported.

He said, “Such is a dream that can never come through. No one can remove me as Oluwo. No one can kill me and no one can bring me down. Adabi ti ki baase emi ni mo ran e lowo tofi di Ooni”.

Oluwo of Iwo recounted how he assisted in securing the Ooni’s throne, expressing disappointment that the same person is allegedly working against him.

“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 evil against me,” he alleged.

Oluwo also claimed that the Ooni had criticized him in front of the state governor for discouraging deity worship and had even played a role in his past marital issues.

“He orchestrated my suspension from the Osun State Council of Obas meeting against the AIG who was a star witness at what transpired. He is using a few kings in Iwoland to destabilize my territory.

“He attacked me last month in the presence of the state Governor that I’m discouraging deity worshipping. He was part of those who used my former wife against me.

“He should keep trying to remove me. He will be the one to live to regret, his cohorts that have tried it in the past failed,” Oba Abdulrosheed added.

Oluwo further stated that the link he used for Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi would have been used for his elder brother, Tunji Adeyeye, who was his friend and peer at Akobo, Ibadan, adding, however, that he chose to utilise the link for the current Ooni because Tunji underrated his status then.

The Iwo monarch shared details of how he helped secure the Ooni’s position, revealing that he had a close relationship with the Ogunwusi family before leaving for overseas.

“In 2015, I got a call from Akin Daodu, a close ally to the then Prince Adeyeye Ogunwusi, now Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi. He told me Prince Adeyeye was on the phone that he needed to talk and seek my help on his aspiration to the throne of Ooni of Ife. I told Akin Daodu that I’m not aware they have chosen Ooni designate,” Oluwo recalled.

Oluwo claimed that he initially intended to use his connections to support the Ooni’s older brother, Tunji Ogunwusi, but Tunji did not take him seriously.

He emphasized that he was not selfish in his actions, as he secured Ogunwusi’s throne before his own coronation as the Oluwo of Iwo.

“I acknowledged my affinity with the family because we stayed around the same place at Akobo, Ibadan, before I traveled. I know him then but I’m closer to his brother, Tunji Ogunwusi who was my peer then. Both myself and Tunji Ogunwusi, popularly called Dodo were about eight years older than him.

“As a friend and peer, I’ve earlier called Tunji Ogunwusi but he underrated me (O fi oju ana wo mi). Maybe because I’ve sought his help before I got an authentic link, he refused to take me seriously.

“When he was on the phone, he begged to see me face to face for in-depth discussion. I said he can’t travel to Osogbo where I stayed then because of the fragile security sensing the peak of his aspiration.

“I travelled to Base Hotel, Ibadan to meet him. We discussed and he disclosed almost all the stakeholders including the Governor have agreed but there is a litigation in court instituted by a few aggrieved people. He said his primary concern is court litigation. I asked him if that was all, he said yes. I told him he is already a king.”

“In his presence, I called the person in charge and I told the person what I wanted. The case was decided on Friday and Adeyeye became Ooni on Saturday. This was before my own enthronement. 

“I was not selfish. I did his own before my own. And a few months later, God used the same link for me to become Oluwo of Iwoland.

“To my surprise, the same person I helped to the throne has been planning evil against me. He orchestrated my suspension from the Osun State Council of Obas meeting against the AIG who was a star witness at what transpired,” he submitted.

In response to the allegations, the Ooni’s Director of Media, Otunba Moses Olafare, dismissed Oluwo’s claims, stating that Oba Ogunwusi’s kingship was divinely ordained.

“Oba Adeyeye has been ordained as a king from heaven, regardless of who does what. He is a king with God on his side.,” Olafare said.

“When Oluwo wanted to be the king, Ooni supported him with cash and other logistics that we can’t even mention here.”

He also downplayed claims of hostility between the two monarchs, saying, “At the last Council of Oba meeting, Ooni only jokingly told Oluwo that he should not condemn any monarch for worshipping deities but should allow anyone to practice anything that they feel is good for them.”

KanyiDaily recalls that in 2020, Osun state traditional council suspended the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, for six months for dragging the institution into the mud with his public conduct.