Stop Attacks on Other Monarchs, Faiths, Preserve Yoruba Culture – Osun Govt Cautions Oluwo

The Osun State Government has called the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi, to order, warning him to stop alleged attacks on people of other faiths and fellow traditional rulers.

The government also directed the monarch to preserve the culture and traditions of his people, cautioning that his public statements and conduct could trigger religious and inter-town conflicts.

The warning was contained in a letter titled Cautionary Notes on Inflammatory Rhetorics Capable of Creating Religious and Inter-Town Conflicts, addressed to the Oluwo at his palace in Iwo and signed by Wale Alliyu, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

In the letter, the government said it had observed with concern recent public statements attributed to the monarch, which it believed had the potential to ignite religious confrontation, disrupt communal peace and heighten tensions between communities.

It reminded the Oluwo that every Nigerian had a constitutional right to freedom of religion, stressing that traditional rulers were obligated to respect the religious beliefs of their subjects.

“You cannot and you must not conduct yourself in any way that can foment religious crisis through serial attacks on people of other faiths,” the government warned.

Beyond religious tolerance, the government cautioned the monarch against using his traditional position in ways that could undermine the cultural values of the society he presides over.

It said the primary responsibility of a traditional ruler included preserving the culture and traditions of his people, warning that any reform capable of provoking community violence and conflict would not be tolerated.

The government further accused the monarch’s public utterances and activities of raising communal tension, sowing religious discord and discrediting the traditional values of the Yoruba people.

Consequently, it issued six cautionary directives to prevent a possible outbreak of religious and inter-town conflicts.

The directives require the Oluwo to stop further attacks on people of other faiths, refrain from attacks on fellow traditional rulers, preserve the culture and traditions of his people, and conduct himself in line with the Chieftaincy Laws and resolutions of the State Council of Obas.

The Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs also said it would monitor the monarch’s compliance with the directives.

Additionally, the State Council of Obas was directed to monitor developments in Iwoland and take appropriate action.

The government said the measures were intended to prevent further escalation of tensions and protect peace, unity and stability in Osun State.