The Olosi of Iwo, Chief Sunday Oyeniyi, who is the only kingmaker out of 13 that did not sign a petition demanding the dethronement of Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi has revealed why he didn’t take part in the plot to remove the Monarch.
In an interview with the Punch, Chief Oyeniyi said: “Well, you know it’s only God that installs and dethrones kings. Initially, I was not aware of the petition. They knew I would not sign.
“They didn’t present it to me at all. I was completely left out. They knew I would ask why they wanted to remove Oluwo and I would not have accepted any reason from them. If they say I supported the petition, it is a blatant lie.”
When asked why do the kingmakers think Oluwo should be dethroned a few years after they voted for him to be the king, he said: “Not all the present kingmakers were there when Oluwo was elected. Some of those that participated are dead. But I was involved in the selection process. Some of those seeking to remove Oluwo were kingmakers he installed.”
When asked what exactly is the cause of the misunderstanding between Oluwo and the kingmakers, the Olosi of Iwo said: “You know that nobody is perfect and we can’t know everything going on in the minds of humans. If we could know what is going on in people’s minds, perhaps we might be able to say what they are thinking about. I don’t really know what the problem is.
While answering question on whether there was a meeting of kingmakers where it was concluded that Oluwo should be removed, he said: “If there was any, I was not informed and I don’t know about it.”
While reacting to report that he is more closer to Oluwo than the other kingmakers, Chief Oyeniyi stated: “That is not true. In fact, they are much closer to Oluwo than me. I don’t visit Oluwo regularly. I only attend meetings in the palace. I am still strong. I need to fend for my family.”
When asked what could be the solution to the crisis, he said: “There’s nothing bigger than God. Before Oluwo became the king, it was God that we prayed to. After Oluwo became the king, it is God we have been praying to and we will keep on calling on God because no one is perfect. If there’s something Oluwo needs to be doing for the kingmakers, he should be doing it and if he has been doing it, then he should continue to do it and do more to calm the situation.
“There is no way there won’t be tension because this is the beginning of another problem. I will advise that we should keep praying to God to resolve the problem or ensure an amicable resolution. Nothing is beyond God.
“As an elder, I would advise the Oluwo not to be angry to the extent of creating enmity. He should be friendlier and more accommodating to every one of them.”
While reacting to report that the Press Secretary to Oluwo said someone eyeing the throne was behind the petition, he said: “I didn’t hear anything like that. I’m just hearing about the allegation. I can’t say it happened or that it did not happen. But I didn’t collect bribes from anyone.”
Leave a Reply