Iwo Princes Defend Oluwo’s Legacy, Dismiss Allegations As Baseless Blackmail
The noble princes and Mogajis of Iwo have come out in strong defence of the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, rejecting recent allegations against the monarch as “baseless, malicious, and a failed attempt at blackmail.”
Speaking at a press briefing held at the Oluwo Palace Square in Iwo, Osun State, on Monday, 7th July 2025, the royal descendants expressed concern over what they described as the activities of a few self-acclaimed youth speaking on behalf of the Iwo royal family without legitimacy or royal lineage.
Reading a joint statement, Prince Wasiu Hammed Modunle, Mogaji Modunle of Iwo, dismissed claims that Oba Akanbi desecrated or relocated the graves of past kings.
He revealed that upon ascension to the throne, the Oluwo personally invited the princes to identify the neglected and dilapidated royal graveyards—some of which had become dumping grounds or housed fetish items.
The monarch, he said, took it upon himself to renovate and honour these sites, tiling and enclosing them properly.
“We were there. No bones were exhumed. No graves were moved,” Modunle said, adding that those alleging otherwise, particularly Adedoja Sarafa Osunwo, had 48 hours to produce evidence or face legal action.
The princes described the accusers as “disgruntled individuals,” accusing them of being proxies for those who once contested the throne and now seek to undermine the monarch’s reign.
They also accused some of them of belonging to secret societies and being stuck in “14th-century mindsets,” unable to embrace the modern, service-driven approach to kingship introduced by Oba Akanbi.
“These same individuals failed to maintain the palace or their own fathers’ graves before Oba Akanbi came. Today, the palace has been rebuilt, and the heritage sites of Iwo have been restored with dignity,” Modunle said.
The group also addressed the issue of the “Alaafin” title, explaining it as a divine term meaning “owner of the palace,” and not exclusive to any town, as misinterpreted by critics.
They called on journalists and the public to verify information directly from the palace, warning against taking statements from impostors parading themselves as royal representatives.
The statement concluded with an apology to the Oluwo for holding the briefing in his absence, noting that the monarch had urged restraint, but they felt compelled to defend Iwo’s honour and heritage while he was away on a trip to Abuja.
“Ile Iwo a gbewa o,” they echoed, reaffirming their loyalty and faith in the enduring reign of Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi.
