Oduduwa: Another Yoruba monarch hits Ndigbo

The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has joined the debate raging between the OOni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, and the Igbo group Ohaneze, on whom Ouduwa was.

Akanbi said Oduduwa was not   an  Igbo  prince as claimed by Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

H3 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.

“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,” the Oluwo statement read.

“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.”

According to him, 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,” he added.

He said 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.