The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has challenged the long-held belief that Ile-Ife is the cradle of the Yoruba people.
Speaking in his palace on Tuesday while conferring a chieftaincy title, the monarch argued that Yoruba culture is not rooted in the ancient town of Ife, widely regarded as the foundation of the race.
In a video shared on his Facebook page, the Oluwo said people were living in Ife before Oduduwa conquered the city and became its ruler.
Flanked by his chiefs, he maintained that the dialect spoken in Ife differs from mainstream Yoruba and insisted on his mission to “correct” historical records.
“Ife is not the origin of the Yoruba race. Those people don’t speak our language. Their language is different. They call God Eledumare, but in Yoruba it is Olodumare.
“They also say Olofin to mean the owner of the palace, but in Yoruba that is Alaafin. Ile-Ife has no Yoruba culture,” he said.
The monarch further described himself as the “Arole Olodumare,” declaring that Iwo holds the authentic Yoruba history which, according to him, has not been documented.
“Whatever I am saying now, you must keep it because death can come anytime. I am not afraid of death because it is inevitable,” he added in Yoruba.
The debate over the true origin of the Yoruba race continues to generate disputes among leading monarchs. The most recent controversy involved the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, over the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland allegedly bestowed on Ibadan-based businessman Dotun Sanusi.
