Removal Petition: Market Women, Artisans, Others Hold Solidarity Rally For Oluwo

By Sodiq Yusuf

Indigenes and residents of Iwo in the State of Osun have renewed their love and support for the reign of the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi, following a petition by the town’s kingmakers, asking for the removal of the traditional ruler.

Market women, artisans, operators of commercial motorcycles and commercial transporters trooped out on Thursday for a rally to solidarise with Oba Akanbi, declaring that Iwo is not Kano or any other place where a king can just be removed.

The Oluwo’s supporters converged at the Iwo Roundabout at Oja Oba area, Iwo to express their support for the traditional ruler.

This is just as Oba Akanbi said that ‘a detractor’ was behind the petition by the kingmakers to remove him.

According to Oluwo in a press statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Alli, the plotters, part of who is a 40-year serial contestant for the stool, were only interested in deriding him and as well run down his reign.

The kingmakers, under the aegis of the Concerned Kingmakers of Iwoland, accused the traditional ruler of fighting notable personalities beyond his domain vis a vis allegations of high-handedness ad misconduct.

The release reads in part: “It’s a conspiracy of a detractor who has been fighting so hard to become the Oluwo of Iwo. The detractors have gone beyond many times to discredit Oba Akanbi and failed serially. The recent was to divide the king makers but dead on arrival. Achievements of Oluwo endeared him to Iwo, more. You can’t run down what your children may benefit in the future.

“Oba Akanbi is a king of positive marks. He is a market detractors are trying to de-market.”