The Paramount Ruler of Iwo, Osun State, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, speaks with BIODUN BUSARI about his disdain for idols, the expectations of traditional institutions, and his experience at Hajj, among other topics
You frequently stress your aversion to idol worship. Have any of your chiefs or kingmakers expressed displeasure with this stance?
First of all, I give glory to the Almighty God. He is the King of kings. You ask why I choose to worship the Almighty God and not idols. Worshipping idols is a matter of the heart, not an understanding of the institution of kings. The institution of kingship is a Godly institution. God owns all kings. That is why He is called the King of kings. The root of kingship is about God Himself, who first enthroned kings. In history, the first man God made king was Adam.
Speaking about the Yoruba people, we may ask who made Oduduwa king. We should ask ourselves if Oduduwa worshipped idols like Sango (the god of thunder). It is to God that we ascribe the title of ‘Kabiyesi’ or ‘Oba’. These titles are synonymous with God Almighty. Because God is invisible, He appoints kings in all kingdoms as His representatives. So, He’s called King of kings, not King of chiefs. He has given the affairs of the kingdoms to kings, making Him the author of power. Every king must and should be the representative of God Almighty. All kings are to be heirs of ‘Olodumare’. If kings acknowledge that God gives them the thrones to sit on, it becomes their duty to bring people closer to God, not to idols. Kings must pay one hundred per cent allegiance to God, not ninety-nine per cent.
All the troubles happening in Yoruba land at the moment are because the kings have chosen other masters for themselves, other than God. They do not have total allegiance to their Creator. That is why kings are not respected. No history shows that kings began worshipping idols. Oduduwa was older than Ogun (the god of iron). Ogun did not exist at the time Oduduwa reigned. And Oya (wife of Sango) — how can a king worship another man’s wife? If it were the olden days, even I, as a king, could seize any woman of such standing. So, tell me how a king would pay obeisance to such people they call gods?
It’s even an insult for Yoruba kings to worship Sango because his name is not linked to Yoruba origin. Sango’s father was Yoruba, but his mother was from Ibariba in Nupe. It was his mother who gave him the name ‘Sango’. It is not a Yoruba name. Even Ogun was from Ekiti. He didn’t visit Iwo land, so does it make sense for the people of Iwo to say they want to worship Ogun? Even Oya was from Ira in Kwara State. Kings are not meant to worship idols. They are the representatives of the Almighty God. Even alfas and pastors, who are servants of God, know how to speak about God better than kings who are His representatives.
The idol worshippers lie to people, saying deity worshipping is the culture and tradition of the Yoruba. There is no such thing in our history. Our culture and tradition are about our clothes, like ofi, agbada, abeti aja, and greetings, where males prostrate and females kneel. When it comes to idol worshipping, then you have turned to herbalists and the use of voodoo. Worshipping idols is not our identity as Yoruba people. Idol worshipping is universal in the ignorance of people who don’t know how to worship the Almighty God. It is a man who makes another man like himself an idol. It was man who created idolatry. So, God is the owner of my stool, and I cannot give it to idols.
Do the chiefs and kingmakers in Iwoland align with your belief in the Almighty God and your opposition to idol worship?
Let me tell you, it’s many of these chiefs and kingmakers in Yoruba land who have created problems for kings. Do you know that not all chiefs are friends of the king? These chiefs cannot become kings, so they want different kings to sit on the throne almost every day. Some kingmakers want kings to die early to make money from installing another king. They only make money during the enthronement and installation of kings, so it is in their interest for kings to die prematurely, allowing them to install as many kings as possible. With this mentality, they are ready to lead kings astray. That’s why it is the king, as the driver of the town or city, who must direct his people towards knowing and serving God. The king must be responsible for steering the wheels of the kingdom. I must be able to correct some mistakes of my forefathers. In the olden days, cattle faeces were used to paint houses. Are we now going to say we should continue that in this modern age? In those days, there were tribal marks, but now we are no longer doing that. I am speaking about tradition and culture, which has nothing to do with idol worship, I’m the best to do that in Yoruba land at the moment. I move with class. I let the younger generation know that our fashion is great. Some herbalists will tell you that everything about kingship is just idol worship. It is not true. I’m a reformist. I came to reform the traditional institution.
Do you face opposition in your kingdom concerning this?
Like I said earlier, I’m the driver of the kingdom, and nobody can take the steering wheel from me. The chiefs are just like passengers in my vehicle. They have to wait until I arrive at my destination, which I believe I’m achieving. I’m moving towards greatness. The achievements are there, and that’s why my people love me. Even at night, I’m a king who can move freely without fear among my people. I have protection from God the Almighty. God is always with those who stick to Him. It’s God who created Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and other tribes, and He protects me always. I’m an unrepentant and die-hard fan of the Almighty God. There is no weapon from the opposition that can move me. And this isn’t about me, but for all kings who stay with God.
As a first-class paramount ruler, with 35 kings under me, I know the right things and am trying to enlighten other kings. Iwo is one of the promoters of Yoruba language, the kind of Yoruba language that students can use to write WAEC examinations. I’m a custodian of culture and tradition in Yoruba land, but I’ll never promote anything outside of God. I can boldly say that all palaces in Yoruba land belong to God. Ideally, kings should be promoting God more than pastors and imams.
What legacy do you aim to leave in Iwoland?
My desired legacy is to put Olodumare in the heart of everyone. There is one God that we serve. You don’t need to reach Him through an Ekiti god, nor do you need an Agemo to reach Him. Everyone can access God directly. If you want to know about God, you can go to kings who don’t worship deities. My legacy is to introduce God to everyone I meet. Anywhere I promote God, people in that area will know me. This universe is God’s company, and He makes kings like executive officers, so they have to pay allegiance back to Him, not idols. Kings have no business worshipping idols or deities. You can’t describe Yoruba people as Christians, Muslims, or idol worshippers, but by their culture, which includes language, greetings, dress, music, and dancing.
What roles should traditional institutions play in contributing to the betterment of the country?
The traditional rulers in this country have a significant role to play, but they lack recognition. There should be no hiding place for criminals if traditional rulers are fully empowered. Crimes in any area would be known to the local monarch, whether the criminals were the monarch’s children, chiefs’ children, or strangers. However, these criminals cannot be traced or known if the government does not fund the traditional institutions. There are instruments needed to achieve this, but they are not provided. The kings do not have autonomy, so they are toothless. Traditional institutions have been degraded because politicians do not appreciate kingship. They do not like us because they do not belong to royal families. If they understood the importance of kingship, they would recognise that it is the institution that should be empowered the most. If you empower the kings, there would be no lapses in security. Even the police in the communities lack adequate patrol vehicles. Traditional rulers are not well paid. Kings are paid peanuts. I can speak for the South-West, particularly Osun State and Iwo, where kings are paid one-fifth of peanuts.
There is little a king can do with this because he needs to fund the police. How can police, without vehicles to pursue criminals, stop crimes? There are numerous problems at the grassroots level. Only the kings have power over the grassroots. The situation is in disarray because kingship is not where it should be. To be a king, you must be ready to serve the people. If you cannot do that, then you cannot be a ruler. You cannot lord it over the people. The king is a representative of God, who does not sleep day or night, so kings must also serve their people diligently. If you cannot serve your people, kingship is not for you. A king must also treat his subjects as kings, not as slaves.
There is a belief that Yoruba kings must join an occult group before ascending the throne. Can you address this perception and share your stance on it?
No. I will not subject my crown to idols or occult practices. The people behind this are not even as powerful as kings, so you cannot expect me to downgrade myself. The people who make decisions in these occult groups are not kings, so how can they be dishing out authority to kings? I can’t subject my crown to those people because they know that I understand the value of my kingship. An Oba is the ruler of all. I’m not in the league of occult group members. I’m the boss. I’m the king.
Are you saying you were not ordained by deities?
What is a deity? I just told you that I don’t associate myself with idol worshippers. I’m ordained by the King of Kings. Who created deities? Is it not men who call themselves deities? When Ogun was alive, was he a deity? It was after he died that people made him a deity, and he is not speaking anymore. He has written his history. Our forefathers have written their history, so let me write my own. Do you want me to live in their time? They wrote their history, and they should permit me to write mine too. These people and what they did should be kept in museums where priceless things are preserved. Let every town or city have a museum to keep these records so people can learn about them, not worship them. You just asked me about the legacy I want to leave. Should I be telling people about Ogun’s legacies, or should I spend time leaving behind my legacy? Instead of worshipping Ogun and the rest, I should rather worship my father, who took care of me. I’m not a fool or so stupid as to worship idols or belong to occult groups.
Do you have a relationship with other traditional rulers in Yoruba land, and how cordial is it?
Yes, I do. However, all kings have different philosophies, beliefs, and approaches to life. I don’t compromise my principles and policies. My principles of doing things might be unique, but I never compromise my principle of worshipping God. That’s the principle I uphold. I’m a die-hard fan of God. I don’t promote deities; I promote only the King of Kings. I believe that every king in Yoruba land is an arole to God and should be carrying the flag of the Almighty.
There were widespread criticisms regarding your decision not to cover your head during the recent Hajj in Mecca. Could you explain the reasoning behind this choice?
I respect and serve God. I have business with God, not with people. I went to Hajj to fulfil one of the pillars of Islam. Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. When we go there, we don’t wear clothes, caps, shoes, or underwear. Some presidents were there doing the same thing. Let me tell you, I’m not ashamed of the God that I serve. People can be very ignorant, so I don’t listen to or read their comments. I do what works for me and serve God. I ignore the noise in the market because it can distract you. For example, if you go to the market to buy mangoes and fishmongers are calling you, if you’re not careful, you’ll lose focus on why you came to the market. People are so ignorant.
The crowns that kings wear are mere symbols, but the invisible crowns are the authority that God gives to kings. It is those with insight who see the invisible crowns that God places on the heads of kings. Even if I don’t wear a physical crown, there is a special crown from God on my head. I aspire to be a great king, and my name will be remembered like King Solomon or David. I aim to leave a greater legacy than them. So when I went to Saudi Arabia to perform Tawaf around the Kaaba without covering my head, it was in obedience to God. Let people keep their superstitions to themselves. This is acceptable to my God.
What are the things you missed doing since you sat on the throne as an Oba?
I respect and serve God. I am honoured by the privilege God has given me to serve my people as an Oba. I love my people unconditionally, and loving my kingdom is akin to loving myself because I am the foremost leader of the city. I thank God for this privilege and my commitment to caring for all my people, even visiting the poorest because I see them as my children.
As for what I miss, the life of an ordinary person differs greatly from that of a king. There are certain activities I refrained from after assuming the throne — such as consuming alcohol and attending parties — as my responsibilities demand a different lifestyle. Life progresses through stages, akin to bumps on a road that both protect and challenge us. I am grateful to God for guiding me through this journey.
The last time Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, visited Nigeria, you met with them. What was discussed, and how has the relationship been since then?
Regardless of current events in the United Kingdom, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle come from royal families but are also human. Therefore, when they visited Nigeria, I welcomed them in their royal capacity, and we have maintained communication since then. We discuss development agendas for our people and build networks in life. It has been a privilege to get to know them, and they are admirable individuals.
You are close to President Bola Tinubu, and Nigerians are facing hardships under his administration. Have you reached out to him about this?
When it comes to the President, he genuinely cares about the people and aims to improve the country. Despite the challenges he inherited, excuses should not overshadow efforts to enhance people’s lives. My advice is for him to persist in doing his best. Legislation that effectively addresses corruption, which harms people through inadequate infrastructure like roads and hospitals, is crucial. Laws should penalise corrupt individuals decisively, akin to practices in China, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore, rather than merely administering mild sanctions. Effective implementation is key, reminding everyone that national wealth should benefit all citizens, not just a few. Additionally, promoting food self-sufficiency is vital. While encouraging farming, open borders should allow competitive pricing of food items to ensure abundance and affordability in the country. I pray that these measures are complemented by concrete actions. Governors must also improve grassroots support, ensuring resources reach all communities, regardless of political affiliation. Constitutional recognition of kings, especially paramount rulers, by the federal government is essential, fostering respect for traditional institutions and enhancing governance.
