₦airaland Forum

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has stirred controversy by rejecting the long-held belief that Ile-Ife is the cradle of the Yoruba people. Speaking during a chieftaincy ceremony at his palace in Iwo, Osun State, the monarch insisted that Ife does not reflect the true culture and history of the Yoruba race. Eyes Of Lagos reports,
Oluwo’s Argument: Language and Cultural Differences

According to Oba Akanbi, the language spoken in ancient Ife differs significantly from contemporary Yoruba.

“Ife is not the origin of the Yoruba race. Those people don’t speak our language. Their language is different. They refer to God as Eledumare, and there is nothing like Eledumare in the Yoruba language. What we have is Olodumare,” the Oluwo stated.

He further pointed out certain terms that, in his view, demonstrate a cultural divide:

“Ife people will always say Olofin, and if you ask them the meaning, they will tell you it means the owner of the palace. What that means in Yoruba is Alaafin. Ile-Ife has no Yoruba culture,” he added.

Iwo: Keeper of True Yoruba History

Oba Akanbi described himself as the “Arole Olodumare” (representative of God) and claimed that Iwo preserves the authentic Yoruba history that is not widely documented.

“I am here to tell you the true history. Iwo is where you can get the real history that was not even documented,” he emphasized, urging his subjects to preserve his words as part of Yoruba heritage.

The monarch also expressed fearlessness in speaking the truth:

“Whatever I am telling you now, you must keep it because death can come anytime. I am not scared of death because it is inevitable.”

Renewed Disputes Over Yoruba Titles

Oba Akanbi’s remarks come amid ongoing disagreements among Yoruba traditional rulers concerning historical interpretation and the authority to confer titles.

Recently, tensions arose between the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, over a chieftaincy title allegedly awarded to Ibadan businessman Chief Dotun Sanusi. The Alaafin demanded its revocation within 48 hours, but the Ooni’s palace dismissed the threat, stating the matter had been left “to the court of public opinion.”
Conclusion

The Oluwo of Iwo’s controversial statement has reignited debates over the origins of the Yoruba people and which city truly preserves their cultural legacy. While Ile-Ife has long been celebrated as the historic cradle of Yoruba civilization, Oba Akanbi’s declaration positions Iwo as a critical custodian of Yoruba history.

https://eyesoflagos.com/ile-ife-is-not-the-origin-of-the-yoruba-race-oluwo-of-iwo/

cc: Mynd44 , Nlfpmod , Seun

We Yoruba Muslims will always diiscreadit any history of the yorubas that are not islamic, we have take over land

There is a silent fighht that is going on among these kings. It's more than alliance and re-alliances

Ile ife might not be the first bus stop--but it is definitely the garage where yoruba identify parked and collected receipt..

He is always struggling for recognition. So, Iwo is the cradle of Yoruba, not Ife. SMH for you

This one says this, that one says that.
Till now it’s still oral records, not written. We’ve still not learnt to be keeping records as a society.

Guy don sniff white taba again

Na simple dialectical variance this man no understand soo ? Dey misyarn

Later they will tell you say education na scam

...records as in books, newspaper reports or official government documents

Hypnotise:
This one says this, that one says that.
Till now it’s still oral records, not written. We’ve still not learnt to be keeping records as a society.

dollypi:
...records as in books, newspaper reports or official government documents

I mean documentation, as a people, as a race. We’ve still not learnt the importance till now.

Where would we keep such a thing? Who would write it? In what format would we keep it?

because it exists in motorised high detail in certain minds right now.

Hypnotise:
I mean documentation, as a people, as a race. We’ve still not learnt the importance till now.

dollypi:
Where would we keep such a thing? Who would write it? In what format would we keep it?

because it exists in motorised high detail in certain minds right now.

Many quite helpful things are yet to be present in Nigeria but you can start writing your cherished memoirs and such right here

alphonsojaybaz:
The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has stirred controversy by rejecting the long-held belief that Ile-Ife is the cradle of the Yoruba people. Speaking during a chieftaincy ceremony at his palace in Iwo, Osun State, the monarch insisted that Ife does not reflect the true culture and history of the Yoruba race. Eyes Of Lagos reports,


Oluwo’s Argument: Language and Cultural Differences

According to Oba Akanbi, the language spoken in ancient Ife differs significantly from contemporary Yoruba.


“Ife is not the origin of the Yoruba race. Those people don’t speak our language. Their language is different. They refer to God as Eledumare, and there is nothing like Eledumare in the Yoruba language. What we have is Olodumare,” the Oluwo stated.

He further pointed out certain terms that, in his view, demonstrate a cultural divide:

“Ife people will always say Olofin, and if you ask them the meaning, they will tell you it means the owner of the palace. What that means in Yoruba is Alaafin. Ile-Ife has no Yoruba culture,” he added.

Iwo: Keeper of True Yoruba History

Oba Akanbi described himself as the “Arole Olodumare” (representative of God) and claimed that Iwo preserves the authentic Yoruba history that is not widely documented.

“I am here to tell you the true history. Iwo is where you can get the real history that was not even documented,” he emphasized, urging his subjects to preserve his words as part of Yoruba heritage.

The monarch also expressed fearlessness in speaking the truth:

“Whatever I am telling you now, you must keep it because death can come anytime. I am not scared of death because it is inevitable.”



Renewed Disputes Over Yoruba Titles

Oba Akanbi’s remarks come amid ongoing disagreements among Yoruba traditional rulers concerning historical interpretation and the authority to confer titles.

Recently, tensions arose between the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, over a chieftaincy title allegedly awarded to Ibadan businessman Chief Dotun Sanusi. The Alaafin demanded its revocation within 48 hours, but the Ooni’s palace dismissed the threat, stating the matter had been left “to the court of public opinion.”


Conclusion

The Oluwo of Iwo’s controversial statement has reignited debates over the origins of the Yoruba people and which city truly preserves their cultural legacy. While Ile-Ife has long been celebrated as the historic cradle of Yoruba civilization, Oba Akanbi’s declaration positions Iwo as a critical custodian of Yoruba history.

https://eyesoflagos.com/ile-ife-is-not-the-origin-of-the-yoruba-race-oluwo-of-iwo/

There are different dialects of the same language from one region of Yorubaland to another. This isn't strange as many ethnic groups (including the English folks right in England ALSO CLEARLY have dialects, accents and slight variations in spelling words).

The words "Eledumare" and "Olodumare" meaning "the Supreme God" are just dialectic variations of the same concept. Olofin and Alaafin are ALSO simply dialectic variations of the same thing. For instance we have the historically revered Olofin Ogunfunminire who was an Ile-Ife Prince and is the ancestor of the Awori-Yoruba people of Lagos and Ogun States of today who arrived from Ile-Ife centuries ago and FIRST settled on Iddo and Eko Islands (Lagos Island). The famous White Cap Chiefs of Lagos Island are direct descendants of Olofin Ogunfunminire's biological male children.

There were other autochthonous communities in Yorubaland for centuries before Oduduwa was born and arrived from his hilly Yoruba home town of Oke-Ora just 8 miles away from the current Ile-Ife over 900 years ago (to encounter the already existing dynasty and ancestors of the current Yoruba Oba Frederick Akinruntan, the Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom now located in the oil and gas-rich Ilaje area of Ondo State). Prof. Jide Osuntokun (Nigeria's former Ambassador to Germany), the United States-based Prof. Toyin Falola, and Prof. Banji Akintoye are 3 of the internationally respected historians who have stated these FACTS clearly for in their advanced books and works for decades, so, these bloggers should NOT begin to twist the Oluwo of Iwo's comments OR engage in sensationalism with this interview.