BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
A traditional ruler in Osun State, Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi has denied seeking financial aid from the state Governor, Gboyega Oyetola to finance his proposed wedding ceremony with a princess from Kano Emirate.
He described the letter as fake and handiworks of people whose mission is to discredit his stool.
A letter with the title: “Notification of Wedding and Request for Financial Support,” dated February 8, 2022, and marked “HIM/TELU 1/14” was addressed to Governor Oyetola and it has gone viral on social media.
The letter read, “I have the instruction of His Imperial Majesty, Oba (Dr) Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, the Oluwo of Iwo, to notify you of the Oluwo’s decision to marry a Princess from Kano Emirate, to be precise, Ado Bayero dynasty.
“I wish to remind your Excellency that this kind of Royal wedding within two notable traditional institutions in Nigeria will require huge expenses, which necessitate support of state government financially even logistically.
“Moreover, the estimated amount for the event is above (N20,000,000,00) Twenty Million Naira.
“His Excellency, Oba Akanbi relies on you for necessary consideration and approval on this request.”
The letter didn’t show the name of the person that signed it.
In a statement signed and issued on Friday by Oluwo’s Press Secretary, Alli Ibraheem, the monarch said he didn’t beg Oyetola to finance his wedding adding that “there is no marriage venture too big for him to finance.”
“We read with total dismay a letter purportedly said to emanate from the palace of Oluwo of Iwoland seeking financial assistance on his personal affairs, wedding.
“While we commend the enlightened public for their sense of fair judgement, we want to categorically state it that the letter is fake and did not emanate from the palace of Oluwo.
“The said letter lacks basic in-house styles of Oluwo’s palace correspondence. Oluwo always append his personal signature while writing the government. Equally, the font in the letter is not our official style. At the said date on the letter, Oluwo was not in the state up till now. And his secretary has no audacity, whatsoever to sign on behalf of His Majesty while communicating with the government.
“The letter was orchestrated by mischievous people whose mission is to discredit the palace. Marriage is a personal affairs. There is no marriage venture too big for Oluwo to finance on his own. Those circulating such should exercise caution. Queen is coming but not in haste of the public demand.
“We enjoin reasonable individual to get their facts before jumping on the bandwagon,” it read.
Oluwo had reportedly confirmed that he was planning to marry from Kano and did not disclose the date.
Recall that Oluwo and his former wife, Queen Chanel Chin bin, a Canadian, parted ways in December 2019.
