The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, is once again in the eye of a storm—this time over allegations that he is a marijuana user. In a viral video, the flamboyant monarch furiously denied ever touching drugs, raining curses on his accusers.
“They are lying against me. If I ever smoked marijuana, let God remove me from this throne,” the Oluwo thundered. “You accusers, God will punish you!” The outburst, captured on video, set social media abuzz, rekindling an old scandal allegedly linked to his former wife. Years ago, a clip circulated online, purportedly showing the monarch rolling a joint. Palace insiders at the time dismissed the footage as doctored, accusing his estranged queen of masterminding the smear campaign in a bitter fallout from their failed marriage.
The allegation of marijuana use is not the first time the Oluwo has courted controversy. Known for his dramatic style and defiance of convention, Oba Akanbi has often made headlines—from his decision to abandon the traditional Yoruba crown for a more modern look, to his fiery spats with fellow monarchs.
He once clashed openly with the Oluwo of Ede during a public event, a brawl that shocked Yoruba traditional circles. In another incident, he stirred uproar by proclaiming himself “Emir of Yorubaland,” drawing sharp rebukes from cultural custodians who accused him of desecrating heritage.
For critics, the marijuana saga fits neatly into the Oluwo’s history of theatrics. But for the Oluwo, it is yet another battle for the sanctity of his throne. Fresh from a Court of Appeal judgment affirming his legitimacy as Oluwo, he insists the latest accusations are the handiwork of detractors desperate to tarnish his reign.
In his words, the crown is divine, and no smear campaign—whether from an ex-wife or political enemies—can dethrone him.
