The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, has been suspended from attending the traditional council meetings for six months.
Addressing journalists after the meeting of the Osun State Council of Traditional Rulers, on Friday, the Orangun of Ila-Orangun, Oba Wahab Adedotun, said: “The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, was not suspended because of the alleged assault on the Agbowu of Ogbaagba, Oba Dhikirulahi Akinropo.
He said Oba Akanbi was suspended for indecent acts to some monarchs, including the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Alake of Egbaland, Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.
Orangun said: “These acts of gross misconduct are enough. He should go and stay at home for six months. He must respect the traditional institution. He should caution himself with the way he talks to the media on kings in Yorubaland. We have also set up a committee headed by me to resolve the issues Oluwo have with some traditional rulers in Yorubaland.”
However, he said the Oluwo’s suspension is subject to the ratification of the Osun State government.
Earlier, the traditional council held its meeting presided over by the Ooni of Ife as the Permanent President in Osogbo, the state capital where the monarchs had said they could not fold their hands and allow the Oluwo drag the traditional institution in the mud with his “misconduct and indecorous acts.”
The meeting was charged to the extent that the Ooni was said to have requested that the Oluwo and the Agbowu excuse them before taking evidences from those who witnessed the incident at the Office of the Assistant Inspector General Zone 11, last week Friday.
At the meeting, while the Oluwo defended himself, he denied punching or slapping the Agbowu of Ogbaagba at a peace meeting in the AIG’s office.
Also, the AIG, Zone 11, Bashir Makama, who was also summoned to the meeting corroborated the Oluwo’s position, explaining that there was no physical assault during the meeting but testified that there was a serious altercation between the Oluwo and the Agbowu.
In his comment, the Ooni clarified that the Oluwo’s suspension was not because of the alleged assault against the Agbowu of Ogbaagba, saying the matter was already before the Police and the state government.
After the Ooni’s comment, the period for Oluwo’s suspension was put to vote among the monarchs and they eventually agreed to suspend him for six months.
In his reaction, the Oluwo described as political his purported suspension from the state traditional council meeting.
According to him, the point given by the council was porous, lacking logic and do not portray the revered traditional council in good light, saying they refused to address the allegation that he punched a monarch, the reason for the meeting.
In a statement by his media aide, Alli Ibrahim, Oba Akanbi said any suspension from the Osun State traditional council meeting is subject to the approval of the state government.
He said it was unprofessional of the respected Osun State traditional council to make such pronouncement without the approval of the state government.
The Oluwo said he was surprised to note that his purported suspension for his conduct against certain traditional rulers is strange to the traditional institution’s book of history and will never stand.
He said he was disappointed that the traditional council could be turned to an avenue for politics.
He stated that the highest level of injustice is for the council to say he was rude to the same Ooni, who presided over a meeting, where he was suspended.
He said: “I was never suspended. The suspension reported by the media is just from the monthly Osun State traditional council meeting which is subject to the approval of the state government. It is sad to note that the Osun State traditional council could be so political.
They said I was rude to the Alake, the Ooni and the Alaafin. And the same Ooni presided over the same meeting that purportedly pronounced my suspension from the Osun State traditional council meeting.
If this should stand, many monarchs will not be encouraged to regard the council. It is just an audio pronouncement and an insult to the state government without consultation by the council.
”We were invited to address the allegation that I punched another Oba. The AIG and the government officials present came to the meeting as witnesses and gave account that I didn’t beat any Oba.
May be because the truth from the witnesses didn’t go with their expectation, they hatched unfounded excuse to make an audio suspension. It is purely political and there are many things attached but we keep mute to see how far this will stand.”
