From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
The Oluwo of Iwo, Osun State, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has charged the police to go after the arsonists who razed the Akinrun and Aree palaces and ensure they face the law.
Oluwo, who condemned the attack on the palaces, described the incident as not only sacrilegious but, also, a taboo. The monarch, in a statement made available to Daily Sun by his Press Secretary, Alli Ibrahim, yesterday, expressed disappointment that Yoruba monarchs have been silent on the matter.
He said: “The attack is a demonstration of shame and shallow reasoning perpetrated by uncultured, uncivilised individuals who took laws into their hands. In a civilised society, where the government and judiciary are respected, no reasonable person will take the law into his or her hand. The recent attacks on both Akirun and Aree’s palaces are abominations, taboos, and sacrilege.
It is a collective attack on all reasonable Yoruba, and mostly the traditional institution.
“It’s a shame on Yoruba sons and daughters with a conscience to think that setting the palace ablaze is the best means to vent their anger. Civilised and reasonable ones would approach the court to seek redress. The perpetrators have incurred generational curses on themselves.
“It further saddened my heart that no traditional ruler is speaking against the immoral, uncultured, and uncivilised attack on our sacred stools. The source, pride, and heritage of every town is the palace. An attack on any stool is an attack on all stools.
“This is a great challenge to all traditional rulers, most especially the Yoruba. If mosques and churches are not attacked, why the palaces? The monarchs should check themselves. The pride of the stool has been decimated. The onus is on us to lift the sacred throne above objects and reclaim our glory. Many monarchs will worship Orisha, but still, hoodlums don’t fear the stool. We should return to God and cling to Him.
“I call on the Nigerian Police Force to enforce search, arrest and prosecute perpetrators of Akirun and Aree palaces attackers. They must not go scot-free. They should be made to face the full hammer of the law. Henceforth, I will personally run after attackers on our sacred thrones,” Oluwo threatened.
