The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi popularly as known as Telu 1 has explained the reasons he wants to be addressed as ‘His Imperial Majesty’ instead of ‘His Royal Majesty’.
Oluwo who gave the directive through a signed statement posted on his Facebook page on Sunday said it was not unconnected to the respect his stool command as the direct blood of Oduduwa, natural paramount crown from Iwo’s formation, among others.
He noted that, unlike many other towns whose kings were promoted from being Baale (Dukes) to Oba (monarch), Iwo never had a Baale, and as such any Oluwo of Iwo should be addressed as His Imperial Majesty.
The statement reads, “The general public, most especially the admirers of The Paramount Ruler of Iwoland, are to note that Oluwo is an Imperial Majesty, not His Royal Majesty.
“The stool of Oluwo commands the respect of the direct blood of Oduduwa. The Oluwo stool is a crown from inception. Unlike many other stools in Yorubaland, Iwo stool was never upgraded from Baaleship. It is a natural Paramount crown from formation. Oluwo is a viceroy of none. Oluwo has over 30 Obas he crowned.
“As such, Oluwo should always be addressed as His Imperial Majesty, not His Royal Majesty. Any correspondence without proper address will not be honoured. No General will love to be called a sergeant likewise no Doctor will answer the name of a nurse.”
The traditional ruler therefore called the general public and Iwo sons and daughters to officially take note and address him as that (His Imperial Majesty).
The first-class Yoruba monarchs’ stools called ‘His Royal Majesty’ are Ooni of Ife, Soun of Ogbomoso, the Alaafin of Oyo, and the Awujale of Ijebuland, among others.
Meanwhile, in 2022, a Human rights activist and public writer, Adeola Soetan challenged the calling of traditional rulers as “Imperial Majesty”.
Soetan, in his submission, explained that any Oba that can be suspended or removed by a local government chairman or governor cannot claim to be imperial majesty because he lacks the sovereignty and absolute territorial power and control to be so-called.
He said, “No king is ‘Imperial Majesty’ in Nigeria. It’s self-deception and undue glorification for any ‘trado-modern’ ruler to parade himself as “His Imperial Majesty” or answer to such an oversized wrong title.
“It’s a mere royal comic relief, in a constitutional democracy, no Oba, Obi or Emir is Imperial. The appropriate title is ‘His Highness’ not even “His Royal Highness” which is appropriate for the princesses and princesses.
“I was first corrected by “Daddy”, Prince Oladele Docemo, a prominent prince of Lagos, (Dosunmu lineage, RIP) in the 1980s that the title of “ Royal Highness” is for princes and princesses. It means the Prince/princess enjoying the Royalty of His Highness. I later discovered this to be true during my years of research into culture and tradition.”
