EXTRA: Iwo monarch ‘adopts title of emir of Yorubaland’

Adbulrasheed Akanbi, oluwo of Iwoland in Osun state, has adopted the title of “emir of Yorubaland”.

The emir title is peculiar to northern traditional rulers.

In a chat with Daily Trust, the monarch said he took the decision because of the strong Islamic background of his kingdom.

“When I was made the Oluwo of Iwo, I was turbaned. It is because Iwo is an ancient Islamic town. Iwo was known as ‘geri malami’, meaning: the home of the scholars. So, this regalia is appropriate for me as the Oluwo,” he was quoted to have said.

Later when he spoke at the installation and turbarning ceremony of Yahquub Mohammed as the first waziri of Yorubaland, Akanbi said there was nothing strange in adopting the emir title.

The monarch said he has adopted the emir title because northern emirs do not “begrudge themselves like Yoruba Obas”.

“I have decided to officially adopt emir title today because I want to emulate the attitudes of northern emirs. They don’t begrudge themselves like Yoruba Obas. It will surprise you to discover that for the past two years, there has not been meeting of Yoruba traditional rulers just because of enmity. There is nothing strange in adopting emir title,” Akanbi said.

“I am the emir of Yorubaland. Iwo has used this Waziri title to announce to the world that truly Iwo is the citadel of Islamic knowledge. Iwo has a unique and distinctive traditional history among the entire Yoruba race. And these peculiarities have made Iwo to be at the forefront in Yoruba land.

The occasion of the installation of Waziri Yorubaland is another great opportunity to create the necessary awareness and promote to the entire world the deep Islamic culture and heritage in Iwo.

“Yoruba has forgotten their history. Whoever is critisising me lacks history of Yorubaland.”