Oluwo accuses Ooni of Ife of betrayal after supporting his kingship

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has alleged that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, is working against him despite his role in securing the Ife monarch’s throne.

In a video, Oluwo claimed he played a pivotal role in ensuring Ooni’s emergence in 2015 but has since faced opposition from him. He accused Oba Ogunwusi of orchestrating his suspension from the Osun State Council of Obas and backing attempts to undermine his authority.

However, Ooni’s palace dismissed the claims, stating that they would not dignify Oluwo’s allegations with a response.

Speaking during a Ramadan lecture in Iwo, a video of which was confirmed by his Press Secretary, Ibrahim Alli, Oluwo recounted how he assisted Ooni in resolving a court case that could have obstructed his ascension.

“In 2015, I received a call from Akin Daodu, a close ally of the then Prince Adeyeye Ogunwusi. He told me Prince Adeyeye needed my support in his bid for the throne. At the time, I was closer to his brother, Tunji Ogunwusi, whom I had initially intended to support. However, Tunji underestimated me,” Oluwo recalled.

He went on to describe how Ooni expressed concern over a court case threatening his appointment. “I assured him the issue would be resolved. In his presence, I called the person in charge, and by Friday, the case was settled. The following day, Adeyeye became the Ooni of Ife. This happened even before my own enthronement.”

Expressing his disappointment, Oluwo alleged that Ooni had since turned against him. “The same person I helped is now working against me. He was behind my suspension from the Council of Obas. He has also supported efforts to destabilize my territory and has attacked me for discouraging idol worship. He even used my former wife against me.”

Despite his claims, Oluwo remained defiant. “No one can remove me as Oluwo. No one can bring me down except if I never helped him become Ooni.”

In response, the Director of Media at the Ooni’s palace, Chief Moses Olafare, dismissed Oluwo’s comments, saying they were not worthy of a reaction.

“This is not the first time Oluwo has made such statements, and we have never responded. The Ooni is focused on developmental projects and has no time for distractions,” Olafare stated.