I was captured 2 times by Ritualists and both of them rejected me – Oluwo of Iwo Kingdom, Oba Akanbi

The Oluwo of the Iwo Kingdom, Oba Abdul Rasheed Akanbi, has revealed he was captured two times by ritualists and he was let go both times. He said he went missing for 4 months.

The Flamboyant king in a recent interview with City People, went back memory lane, as he discussed his relationship with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi who he said he grew up with in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Speaking during the interview, Oba Akanbi disclosed that he was captured two times by Ritualists in 1981 who later rejected him because he was a chosen king.

‘Oh, yes! But I like to talk more about my life. I want people to learn from my own life, my own experience. In 1981, something happened and I had to leave Iwo. I left home and I was lost for 4 months. I was captured 2 times by Ritualists and both of them rejected me’
‘.The 2nd one said let him go ooo. He is an Oba ooo. He is a king. Lets leave it at that.’
‘All I will say is that, I am from Iwo. I grew up in Iwo. The last time I left Iwo was 1981. I only came back in 1984.’

I came around and helped my dad and I left again. I came for secondary school in Iwo. I was in Class 2 promoting to Form 3 at that time. That incident happened and I left when I got lost after 4 months I was found. The man who owns that building, out there, where Wema Bank is located was the one that found me at a petrol station in Lawanson. When I came back, my mother said you are not going back to Iwo again.

That was how I ended up with my uncle. It is not only in Akobo, Bashorun area of Ibadan that me and Oonis family lived together. We started from the area called Holy Trinity, Seventh Day Adventist area. At that time, we were living side by side, by Senator Soji Akanbi’s family house at Holy Trinity.

He was just a big boy then, who just came back from England. He didn’t want to talk to anybody. He would put his hands in his pocket and put his head up high in the air. He is the son of Alhaji M. Akanbi. He knows me good.

So, we have been close by then, but the family didn’t know each other at that time. But when I moved to my uncle’s place in Akobo, they were living just the street across. That was when we started knowing each other. We and Tunji played soccer together. Do you know Tunji Ogunwusi? The Primewater view,  Real Estate company owner?.

He was at St. Patrick’s Grammar School. Me, I was at Oba Akinyele Memorial High School. It’s almost a fence dividing us, just a few houses away. We used to go to school together and we came back home together.

We used to go to parties, all those kiddies parties, all those disco parties. It was great. Tunji was a very good soccer player. He played good soccer.

I don’t know if he still plays soccer now. He, myself and others we always made up a team to play in Akobo at that time. There was a primary school in Akobo at that time, and we always made a team.

We used to go to school together. It’s just on that road, straight road from Akobo.
It was great growing up during that time. I was living with my Uncle called  (Uncle Onifade) Alhaji Raimi Onifade, he is a younger brother to my mum. That’s where I lived. That is where we got to know. We thank God that we are all great people today.  At least we’ve made an impact in Yorubaland.

One thing I want people to know is that the new dispensation of what kingship is all about is here and we thank God for it. And my own message to kings is for us to be servants. It’s not about money. It’s not about gathering money. There are many rich kings that have gone and they are no more.

We don’t remember them. I am talking about many great kings with money. Money doesn’t make great kings. Money doesn’t make you great. Its only for a while.
While addressing a story making rounds that figure 16 is a significant number to him becoming a king, he said:

Me becoming a king is the will of God. It is what God wants, but sent me with a message specifically for this generation. You can see it in the signs. These are signs. Like the 16th ruler of Ife, Ooni Luwo Gbagida, who happens to have given Telu, the Crown, from Ife. He is the 16th Ooni of Ife. I am the 16th Oluwo of Iwo land. Take note of the figure 16.

Again, when I wanted to do my coronation, I gave the government 2 dates. They rejected those days. They took the 16th, 16-01-2016. Again, when my child was to be born, I actually said it, right there. Me and my wife, we were on the bed. I said to her: You are with a child now and you will give birth to a boy. And the boy’s name will be Oduduwa. And when the boy was to be born, he was born on the 16th of November 2016. That is 16-02-2016 because 11 means 1+1 which is 2.

The same thing with figure 16, which is 1+6, which is 7 (a figure of compliment).