Ile-Ife Not Origin of Yoruba Race – Oluwo

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has again rejected the popular belief that Ile-Ife is the cradle of the Yoruba race, arguing that the town does not represent the true culture and history of the people.

The monarch made this statement in a video posted on his Facebook page on Tuesday while conferring a chieftaincy title on one of his subjects at his palace in Iwo, Osun State.

Flanked by his chiefs, the Oluwo said historical accounts had been misrepresented for years, stressing that Oduduwa only conquered Ife after people were already living there.

According to him, the language spoken in ancient Ife differs from what is recognized as Yoruba today.

“Ife is not the origin of the Yoruba race. Those people don’t speak our language. Their language is different. They refer to God as Eledumare, and there is nothing like Eledumare in the Yoruba language. What we have is Olodumare,” he said.

He added that certain words used in Ife further prove its cultural difference from mainstream Yoruba tradition.

“Ife people will always say Olofin, and if you ask them the meaning, they will tell you it means the owner of the palace. What that means in Yoruba is Alaafin. Ile-Ife has no Yoruba culture,” the monarch declared.

Oba Akanbi described himself as the “Arole Olodumare” (representative of God), insisting that Iwo, not Ife, preserves the authentic Yoruba history.

“I am the ‘Arole Olodumare because I am here to tell you the true history. Iwo is where you can get the real history that was not even documented,” he said, urging his people to preserve his words as part of Yoruba heritage.

The traditional ruler also emphasized that he is unafraid of death, noting that speaking the truth about Yoruba origins is his responsibility.

“Whatever I am telling you now, you must keep it because death can come anytime. I am not scared of death because it is inevitable, he stated.

His remark came amid renewed disputes among Yoruba rulers over the interpretation of history and the scope of their traditional authority.

Recently, a clash arose between the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, over a chieftaincy title allegedly bestowed on Ibadan businessman, Chief Dotun Sanusi.

The Alaafin issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding its revocation, but the Ooni’s palace dismissed the threat, saying the matter had already been left “to the court of public opinion.”