It appears the existing feud between two traditional monarchs in Iwo Land of Osun State that has led to an order by a Magistrate Court for the arrest of the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, (Telu One) is taking a new dimension.
This is because the Oba Akanbi is threatening to issue what he termed “Traditional warrant of arrest” on magistrate Olusola Aluko of the Osogbo magistrate court who issued his bench warrant.
Magistrate Aluko had in the previous week, issued a warrant that would effect a force arrest of the monarch if he failed to appear before it to answer allegations against him by another monarch in the state, one of which was his involvement in fraudulent activities, which he called ‘Yahoo Yahoo’.
Supremacy Over Court Order
Though, Magistrate Aluko made good his threat on Tuesday when he finally ordered security agents to produce Oba Akanbi in court by force to answer to the criminal charges against him.
But Oba Akanbi told reporters in Osogbo that he would issue a “traditional warrant arrest” against the Magistrate, claiming supremacy over the court order.
The monarch, who denied the knowledge of the bench warrant of arrest against him, said he came to hear of it on the pages of newspapers.
The Iwo monarch also said he cautioned anyone against attempt to denigrate traditional institution, saying “as a king I too have traditional warrant of arrest I can invoke against the Magistrate.”
The Oluwo-Oke of Iwo-Oke, Oba Kadiri Oba Adeoye had approached the Magistrate Court, accusing Oba Akanbi, of concealing some facts about his past to the state government when he was installed as a first class monarch about a year ago.
The Oluwo described the court order as an insult against his throne, saying it was obvious that the judge was out to intimidate and harass him for “reasons best known to him and his sponsors.”
Envious Of My Selfless Service
The Oluwo, who insisted that he had no case to answer before the Magistrate Court, however said he had great respect for the judiciary and the law, adding that he would be ready to answer any serious charge preferred against him in any law court.
Claiming that the court had no jurisdiction over the case, Oba Akanbi accused Magistrate Aluko of “dancing to a tune dictated by a piper”.
He said: “Because somebody or some people somewhere do not like my guts they are making use of an available tool to do their bidding. But I don’t care and I want them to know I can not be intimidated and harassed by anybody. I got so many jobs to do for my people and I would not tolerate any distraction.
“They are certainly envious of my selfless service to the people of Iwo and its environs but that is their headache, not mine. They are desperate, using the idle hands and those without integrity to carry out their diabolical plans. Allah is the greatest and all of us are mere mortals.
“I don’t have any skeleton in my cupboard the detractors just want to drag the name of the Oluwo of Iwoland in the mud. I don’t even involve myself in land matters or sale of lands. I don’t even have a private house other than the palace. My utmost priority is the wellbeing of my people.
“I have spent my personal money to rehabilitate disused courts in Iwoland. I toil day and night for progress of my town. The magistrate and the Oba in question are being paid and sponsored by detractors and this is the price I’m paying for success and great fame”.
Oba Akanbi tasked traditional rulers not to sit back and see the insult on Oluwo as his only predicament but to speak up against it because of its implication on the traditional institution.
He thanked the administrations of President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Rauf Aregbesola for providing an environment of peace and justice, adding that if not for good government at both state and federal level, bad elements within the judiciary would have continued to flourish.
