In a passionate message shared online, the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi Telu I, called on the sons and daughters of Yorubaland to rethink the way they honor their ancestors and forefathers.
The revered monarch emphasized the need to replace neglected, untidy shrines with cleaner and more dignified ways of remembrance that reflect respect for the ancestral heritage.
In his post, the Oluwo questioned: “Can anyone be proud to say, this is where and how I honor my fathers and forefathers? Are our forefathers really dirty, or do they belong to the dustbin? I believe there are better ways to remember our ancestors — like ododo eye (beautiful flowers), oorun didun (perfumes), and prayers for them.”
Oba Akanbi went further to challenge Yoruba traditionalists to embrace cleanliness and modernization in their spiritual practices: “Let all patriotic and good-loving sons and daughters of Yorubaland dismantle all dirty shrines in honor of our forefathers like Sango, Ogun, Obatala, Osun, Esu, etc., and make them clean. They are not happy with you, and they are playing curses on you for remembering and honoring them in this way.”
The Oluwo concluded his message with a warning about generational consequences for neglecting ancestral dignity: “Omo yio sebe fun o, yio di eru ibanuje le e lori — your children and grandchildren will pay you back by placing garbage and dirt on your head.”
Signing off the post as Alase Lori Orisa and Arole Olodumare, Oba Adewale Akanbi reaffirmed his role as both a spiritual and cultural reformer advocating for a more refined and respectful approach to Yoruba traditional spirituality.
The monarch’s message, posted via his official Instagram account @emperor_telu1.
On air
Listen to Spectrocast Ìkànnì Ògbón
Live talk, music and culture from Oyo Alaafin — and our Auto-DJ when we’re off air.
