History will be made tomorrow in Ile-Ife when the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul Rasheed Akanbi leads his people to the ancient town to reunite with members of Owodo Luwo Royal Family.
The historic visit follows a letter of commendation the Ife royal family recently sent to Oba Akanbi in which the family extolled his strong attachment with the family in his words and deed since he ascended the throne in November 2015.
The letter, dated July 9, 2016, was signed by the duo of Sooko Owodo, Professor Prince S.R.A. Adewusi and family Secretary, Prince S.A. Adegbola.
“Your enthronement to the throne of your forefathers is not by accident but by God’s doing who had planned it in honour of Telu, our son and your royal highness’s source of the highly esteemed crown that your highness is presently wearing as one of the ancestral rulers, not in Osun State alone, but also beyond,” the letter stated.
Oba Akanbi could not hide his joy at the Owodo Luwo family’s sense of history, describing the letter as unprecedented and an attestation of the dawn of a new era in the relationship between Iwo and Ile-Ife.
He said the place of Ile-Ife as the cradle of Yoruba race was undisputable and indeed sacred, hence the respect accorded to the Ooni of Ife by Yoruba at home and in diaspora.
“What this development tells me is that unity of Yoruba is in sight. We shall soon get there with spirit of love and communalism. I am happy to witness this development and I am happy to reunite with my kith and kin with a view to forging a more united family both in Iwo and Ile-Ife. I have no doubt in my mind that we shall achieve it sooner than later,” he said.