ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has called on Nigerians to seek divine intervention and guidance from God to accelerate the nation’s development.
Speaking on Saturday in Iwo, Osun State, during the annual Eledumare Festival held at his palace, Oba Akanbi urged citizens to turn away from lamentation over the country’s challenges and focus on solutions through a return to faith.
Oba Akanbi emphasized that Nigeria is blessed with abundant resources that, if properly harnessed, could drive growth without the need for foreign aid.
“We have enough resources to develop ourselves; we do not need to rely on others for progress,” he remarked.
The monarch expressed disappointment over Nigeria’s failure to utilize its natural wealth for national improvement, noting that the festival was intended to bring people back to their Creator.
He explained, “We are taking our people back to the days when we had power. When we start worshiping God, we will begin to use wisdom to convert gold to our own use; limestone to cement. If we begin to use our wisdom, we will be greater than America.”
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Addressing Nigeria’s ongoing economic struggles, Oba Akanbi observed, “It is not today that the economy of Nigeria is bad. Since independence, there is no government that people did not complain about. We are endowed with mineral resources, particularly in Yorubaland.
“If we are not ungrateful to God, it is not the foreigners who should take our mineral resources to their land cheaply and bring it back to us at an expensive price.”
He continued, highlighting the religious heritage of Yoruba ancestors, stating, “Our forefathers didn’t know any other deities. Oduduwa did not know Sango or Ogun. Our ancestors were worshippers of one God. I’m representing God, the real king. Worship is an exclusive right of God.”
According to Punch, Oba Akanbi advocated for a return to pure worship, free of other deities, underscoring the cultural roots of Yorubaland.
“Our culture and tradition in Yorubaland are devoid of deities. We must approach God directly. Kingship is to profess that the only thing that is worthy of worship is God. We are calling all Yoruba to worship only one God. We should not be ungrateful,” he asserted.
Kehinde Oloke, Special Adviser to the Osun State Governor on Culture and Tourism, commended the Oluwo for his efforts to unite people in worship, regardless of their diverse beliefs.
Oloke praised the monarch’s dedication to fostering spiritual unity, which he said strengthens the community and the state’s cultural heritage.