The Osun State Government has placed the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, under watch over remarks it considers inflammatory and capable of triggering religious and inter-town conflicts. The government also directed the monarch to stop attacking people of other faiths and fellow traditional rulers.
The caution was conveyed in a letter from the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Office of the Permanent Secretary, with reference number CD.17/1/VOL.VIII/377. The letter, dated November 2026, was signed by Wale Alliyu on behalf of the Permanent Secretary. A copy was also sent to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, in his capacity as Chairman of the Osun State Council of Obas.
Government Cites Rising Communal Tension
In the letter, the government said the Oluwo’s activities were raising communal tension, sowing seeds of communal and religious discord, and increasingly discrediting the traditional values of his people and the Yoruba race. The letter was addressed to the monarch and received by the secretary to the monarch on Tuesday.
The state government stated that it had observed recent well-publicised statements and pronouncements from Oba Akanbi that could ignite religious confrontation, inter-town conflicts and disruption of communal peace. It added that the persistence of such crisis-inciting activities and disruptive conduct capable of breaching public peace had reached a level the administration could no longer ignore.
The government further noted that, within the context of the Constitution, every citizen has the right to freedom of religious association. It stressed that as a traditional ruler, the Oluwo is bound by law to respect the rights of his people to hold religious beliefs as guaranteed by the Constitution.
According to the letter, the Oluwo’s role as a traditional ruler is essentially the preservation of the cultural values and traditions of the people. The government warned that pursuing any reform with the potential to create community violence and conflict would not be tolerated by the administration.
Six Cautionary Notes Issued to the Monarch
The letter read in part: “You cannot, and you must not, conduct yourself in any way that can foment religious crisis through serial attacks on people of other faiths. Your Royal Majesty is also invited to note that just as the traditional stool should not be used to incite religious war, its occupants should also be mindful not to erode the traditional values, culture and tradition of the society over which they preside.”
It continued: “The government notes with shock and disbelief several statements and public utterances credited to Your Royal Majesty without denial. Your activities are raising communal tension, sowing seeds of communal and religious discord and increasingly discrediting the traditional values of your people and Yoruba society, of which your domain is a major part. These developments constitute serious threats to the peace, unity and stability of Osun State and your immediate domain.”
The government issued six cautionary notes to nip in the bud any likely outbreak of religious and inter-town conflict. The monarch was told to stop any further attacks on people of other faiths forthwith, and to refrain from further attacks on fellow traditional rulers to forestall likely inter-town confrontation. He was also directed to work to preserve the culture and tradition of the people which the traditional stool he occupies symbolises, and to be guided by the norms and regulations of behaviour as spelt out in the Chieftaincy Laws and resolutions of the State Council of Obas.
In addition, the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs will be monitoring compliance by the monarch with the cautionary notes, while the State Council of Obas was directed to watch and act on recent developments within Iwo land.
Background to the Caution
Although the letter did not specify the utterances or activities to which the government referred, the royal father has, through his social media pages, often accused other Yoruba monarchs of engaging in idolatry. On July 1, Oba Akanbi, in a video shared on his Facebook page, said traditional rites and seclusion for new royal fathers were not a good practice, declaring it an avenue to enslave and lure them into idolatry. On October 10, in another video on the page, the monarch said the idea of an ancient crown was a ruse, stating that crowns are made by monarchs wearing them.
When contacted for a reaction, the Press Secretary to the Oluwo, Alli Ibraheem, said in a telephone interview that the monarch did not receive any letter from the state government.
