The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has called on the public, including the sons and daughters of Iwo, to officially address him as His Imperial Majesty rather than His Royal Majesty.
In a statement personally signed and shared via his Facebook page on Sunday, Oba Akanbi explained that the reason for this change is rooted in the significance of the Oluwo throne, which he says commands a higher level of respect and traces its lineage directly to Oduduwa, the progenitor of the Yoruba people.
He emphasized that, unlike many other towns whose traditional rulers were promoted from Baales (local chiefs or dukes) to Obas (kings), Iwo has never had a Baale. This distinction, according to him, makes the Oluwo’s title unique and deserving of the designation “His Imperial Majesty.”
The statement reads: “The general public, most especially admirers of the Paramount Ruler of Iwoland, are to note that the Oluwo is an Imperial Majesty, not His Royal Majesty. The stool of Oluwo carries the honor of being from the direct bloodline of Oduduwa.”
He further highlighted the historical significance of the Iwo throne, noting that it has always been a paramount crown since its inception. “Unlike many other stools in Yorubaland, Iwo’s stool was never upgraded from Baaleship. Oluwo is a viceroy to none and has crowned over 30 other Obas,” Oba Akanbi said.
He concluded by stating that any correspondence not addressing him correctly as His Imperial Majesty would not be honored, using an analogy to emphasize the importance of proper titles: “No general would love to be called a sergeant, just as no doctor would answer to the title of a nurse.”
This directive underscores the monarch’s desire to maintain the unique status of the Oluwo stool within the Yoruba traditional hierarchy.
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