Oduduwa was not Igbo prince – Oluwo

The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has said the founding father of Yoruba, Oduduwa was not an Igbo prince as claimed by Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

Oluwo described the claim as false and misleading, calling for Igbo to research on the adventure of their own Odudunwa.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo in a statement, in reaction to the claim by the Ooni of Ife Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, that Igbo people originated from Ile-Ife, had claimed that Odudunwa (last-born), later called Oduduwa was an Igbo prince who occupied Ile-Ife but the Yoruba regarded him as a god because he was very powerful and had magical powers.

But statement by the Oluwo’s press secretary, Alli Ibraheem, reads, “The Yoruba nation was founded by Oduduwa. He brought the first civilisation, which is the crown. Oduduwa demontrated an unequalled leadership. He was shrewd, peculiar, unparalleled, unmatched, quintessential and different. He served his people and became a rallying point for his services to humanity. He gave us the best tradition, so respectful and obedient. The Yoruba culture is rich, very beautiful and unblemished. It emanated from Oduduwa.”

The monarch added, “History is rich, necessary and must always be objective, because it is a foundation for the future. Worldwide, Yorubaland is the source of every natural crown. Our crowns are divinely ordained and sacred. It was brought by Oduduwa. And we owe him a duty to defend everything about him”

According to him, the fact that Odudunwa means last- born in the Igbo language does not make anyone bearing a similar name Igbo-born.

Oba Akanbi, however, pleaded with Nigerians to focus on unity.

He vowed to protect the rich heritage of Oduduwa.