BOLA BAMIGBOLA speaks to the Oluwo of Iwo Land, Oba Adewale Akanbi, on his fashion choices and other issues
How would you describe your fashion style?
Where I am going to determines my sense of fashion. The dress code for the event is also important. Sometimes, I may want to make a statement with the way I dress.
Iwo is largely regarded as a Muslim town. Does that reality play a role in your choice of clothes?
Every town has its different history. The story of Iwo is different from the story of any other Yoruba town. When talking about the story of Iwo, the Islamic issue has to be included. At times, I dress to reflect the predominant religion in my domain.
You often wear traditional attire but you recently donned a suit and a hat at the 65th birthday celebration of the wife of ex-Oyo governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi. Why did you choose that particular dress for the occasion?
What I wore to Mrs Ajimobi’s birthday party was the dress code for that dinner. The celebrant said ‘dinner party’. As a traditional ruler, you may choose to blend. Wearing white lace or the likes is not my culture, I wear ofi, aran, sanyan, alari, dansiki, dandogo, and kembe. All those are traditional attire. But when I am going to a private party which is a night party, and the celebrant says ‘black tie’, I have to comply.
Although a dress code of suit and tie was given, don’t you think you could have appeared in your traditional attire as a traditional ruler?
I wore a royal cap with the suit and black tie. If you want to play golf, you must wear smart clothes. You won’t wear agbada or kembe. We are kings, but we need exercise too. So if I want to exercise my body, I am not going to wear ofi; sporty clothes must be worn. I move with time. My culture and traditions are important to me. When it comes to any cultural event, I would go there with my Yoruba wears. So what I’m going to wear largely depends on where I am going, especially that party I went to. I wore the dress code mentioned in the invite sent to me by the celebrant.
How did you feel going through the comments of those who opposed your public appearance at that birthday event?
Sometimes, I don’t read social media comments because some people can be rude. I don’t go in there to read those comments. I do what is good for me. I believe in myself, my culture, my tradition, and I do that to the extreme. I don’t read people’s comments. As long as I know I am doing the right thing for me and my people, I am not bothered. What matters to me most is the welfare of my people, the Iwo people, the Yoruba people, Nigerians and Africans.
Social media users didn’t feel it was appropriate for a Yoruba monarch to appear in a suit at such an event. What is your take on this?
People cannot dictate what I will wear. You can’t dictate for a king. I will be the one to dictate what I will wear. Iwo is different, we took Islam in the 16th century. When we want to crown our king in Iwo, we don’t use a crown, we use a turban. A newly installed Oluwo must be turbaned. I don’t need anyone’s approval. I have not broken any law with the way I dressed. People can have their opinions. It should not bother me. I also advise them not to bother about the way I dress.
Some years back when ex-President Mohammadu Buhari visited Osun State, you wore a kaftan, which elicited diverse reactions. Will it be appropriate to conclude that you deliberately choose outfits that will generate diverse reactions to attract attention?
That day ex-President Buhari visited Osun, I wasn’t informed that he would come. I was coming from an event organised by a Muslim organisation. When I was told the president would be in Osun, I had to leave the event and rush down to Osogbo to meet him. No one should arrive at any wrong conclusion over the manner I dress. I am a smart king with the right exposure. That will always reflect in the way I dress.
Why does your public appearance often attract controversies?
I am a king; a modern-day king with the right exposure and contact. I am a king who values Yoruba culture. I have proven that times without number with my public appearance. Seeing me in a suit once in a while can’t take away the fact that I am a culture-conscious king.
As a custodian of the culture and tradition of the Yoruba people, appearing in Western dress may affect the culture you are to promote. How correct is that assertion?
Anyone holding such a view because of my Western outfits is not exposed enough. People should know that it is not only in this country you have to display your culture. I can show my culture anywhere I find myself. It depends on the time and location. If it is wintertime, I can’t wear my traditional attire in Europe. I have to wear a jacket over there. Many things will dictate what to wear there. Like I used to say, I am one of the most cultured and traditionally inclined kings who wear more locally made dresses. Maybe some people are not just used to me wearing suits.
You once clamoured for the use of locally produced fabrics for uniforms of security agencies in Nigeria. However, the suit you wore to the birthday party was not made of locally produced fabric. Have you abandoned that campaign?
The campaign to wear Nigerian-made outfits is still on. I have told everybody that they should use our fabrics. The claim that my suit was not made from local fabric needed to be corrected. They didn’t know I used locally-made fabrics to make my crown and even the suit I wore that day. It was made of a local fabric. I use made-in-Nigeria products, including the vehicle I use. Innoson made my vehicle, so I promote Nigeria more.
With the mixed reaction that greeted your appearance in a suit, will that development stop you from appearing in such outfits if the occasion permits it?
I am exposed to the world’s culture. I’m a universal king. I belong to every nation because what I care about is humanity and we have to be good to each other for Nigeria to unite. The occasion will dictate what I will wear, not the opinion of some people.
Yoruba monarchs usually have more than one wife. You are currently having one woman in the palace. When should people expect a new wife?
She (Queen Firdaus) is a woman everybody should beg to have. She is a woman everyone will pray to have. She is respectful. How I wished I met her earlier. But that is how God wants it. It was the afternoon of my life that God destined I was going to meet such a woman. She is a perfect woman for me. You journalists should not start any insinuations. Whatever will happen, you will all see it. I am enjoying my marriage. Let’s leave it at that.
