Why I Slapped Colleagues Monarch In Public – Oluwo Reveals

Emmanuel AmudaFebruary 16, 2020

0 4 minutes read

Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has revealed the reason he beat colleague, Agbowu of Ogbaagbaa, Oba Sikiru Dhirulahi Akinropo over the land issues.

Trouble started at the police office of the AIG,zone 11, Osogbo, where some monarchs from Iwo area converged on the police boss office for a meeting to resolve the controversy surrounding the land matter in the area.

It was learnt that, Oluwo was bittered with Agbowu whom he claimed to have sold parcels of land belonging to Iwo people.

Oluwo said to have warned him to desist from selling the land, but the Agbowu allegedly ignored the Iwo monarch and when the issue became more aggravated, the AIG summoned them for a meeting with a view to find a lasting solution to the land dispute.

Sources at the meeting who preferred anonymity said: “It was in the course of the meeting that Oluwo punched the Agbowu on his face and this brought an end to the peace meeting.

“Oluwo was the first to get out of the meeting in annoyance, creating a scene and shouting within the AIG’s office “Me, Oluwo, Agbowu is calling me a mad man. Ordinary Baales want to be challenging me. I will show you my worth and there will be war in the entire Iwoland.

“I am the only Oba in Iwoland, others are Baales that I gave land, they now want to be challenging me. Can any Baale in Ifeland do that to Ooni”, he reportedly fumed. When contracted, Oluwo simply said: “There was no issue and that the monarchs are just being sensational about it.

“We held a peace meeting and we are handling it. I don’t know why they are sensational about it. It was just a peace meeting and that was all’’. I defended attempt by Agbowu to hit my eyes after he called me mad man- Oluwo ”. Oluwo, further clarified the situation.

He stated he was truly invited by police to make peace on his stance curtailing excess land sale by monarchs under his domain, a pronouncement that did not go down well with those affected as they regroup to act against the authority of Oluwo who gave them the crown.

At the peace meeting held at AIG office, Agbowu of Ogbaagbaa interrupted Oluwo while making his speech and called Oba Akanbi unprintable names, pointing his staff of office at Oluwo while attempt to stick the staff in his eyes which was heavily rejected with force which Agbowu could not withstand. How could a constable openly insult commissioner of police and make attempt to beat the CP? Can any monarch try such with Ooni, Alaafin?”

Attached therein was a letter written and signed by the then Baale of Ogbaagba (the same Sikirulahi Olaleke Akinropo) requesting for a beaded crown from Oluwo and as well narrating how they (Ogbaagba) seek for permission to settle within Iwo domain.

Historically and traditionally, Oluwo settled Ogbaagba where they are today as against the lies peddling around. “I’ve the papers of how I settled and crowned about 35 monarchs under me”.

“Iwoland goes beyond Ogbaagba and it’s my duty to protect this land not because of me or the present generation, but because of the future generation. This is my sin. They want to sell all the land. Iwo land is almost gone to land speculators and land grabbers just for peanuts.

“Iwo land must be protected. And this is what I’m doing. I know posterity will vindicate me. Everyone can sell his or her personal land. A king can as well sell his. It is barbaric seeing king selling his subjects land for peanut with impunity.

“I receive complaints daily. Imagine a king selling one land for three to four speculators without the consent of the family who originally owns the land.

“Now, the same Agbowu who pleaded for beaded crown, begging and prostrating went to grant interview that he was never answerable to Iwo. He went far as attempting to turn Oluwo to a blind man by pointing his staff of office to my eyes.

“Monarchs are not estate managements. And to curtail the too bad attitude which they described as their primary source of income, I had to wade in.

“My intention was a corrective measure and not to take what I had bequeathed to them. He went to the extent of attempting to stick my eyes with his staff of office.

“All affected monarchs in my kingdom should note no one will feed on his subjects land and go away with it. Step is in top gear to revoke all lands illegally acquired by kings and sold to land speculators.

“Modern system respects protocol and the right of every individual. The towns in Iwoland are choked. Of what moral and traditional justification is land selling to the living standard of a town or city whose kings have sold their future (land)?”

Meanwhile, Agbowu of Agbaagbaa has been hospitalized at the Osun State hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo.

The hospitalised traditional ruler, who was in company with other monarchs from the area where he came from, was said to be responding to treatment as at the time of filing this report.

Our correspondent who visited the hospital revealed that, apart from the monarchs that visited him, other sympathisers stormed the hospital to associate with the king.

However, while some traditional rulers in the state condemned that alleged action of Oluwo, some castigated Oba Akinropo for selling land belonging to Iwo people.