The Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide (YCYW) has expressed strong disapproval of the recent action of the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, over his continuous usage of the title “Emir” — a move considered by the Council as a gross embarrassment to the Yoruba cultural heritage.
This was made known in a press statement signed by the National Coordinator of YCYW, Asoju Odo Alawode Rahmon Akintunde, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital.
According to Asoju Odo Alawode, “It is rather unfortunate and deeply disappointing that a prominent Yoruba monarch such as the Oluwo of Iwo would continue to ridicule our tradition by parading himself with a title alien to our heritage. This act is not only sacrilegious but also a betrayal of the rich cultural pride the Yoruba people hold dearly.”
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He further lamented the consistent disregard for Yoruba identity among some elites and traditional leaders, saying, “Why is it that only the Yorubas, out of the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria, are never content with what we have? Only Yorubas wear Hausa babariga and caps, while the Igbos proudly wear their red caps and the Hausas maintain their cultural attire and dietary customs. Yet, we abandon our goats and continue to patronize their cows. We must begin to take pride in our own.”
The Council warned that the continuous erosion of Yoruba values and traditions by those expected to protect and preserve them could lead to an identity crisis among the younger generation.
YCYW called on the Oluwo of Iwo to retrace his steps and desist from further actions that misrepresent the Yoruba culture and monarchy, urging other traditional rulers and stakeholders to uphold the sanctity and uniqueness of the Yoruba heritage.
The Council reaffirmed its commitment to defending and promoting the Yoruba cultural identity and warned that any attempt to dilute or mimic other cultures at the expense of Yoruba values would be strongly resisted.
