•Oluwo Of Iwoland, Oba ABDUL RASHEED ADEWALE
If you are looking for a traditional ruler who has made a lot of statements about his passion and lifestyle, an Oba, who is a lover of youths, who has over the years of being on the throne of his forefathers embraced tradition, and empowering people, a leader, who is keen in raising leaders of tomorrow, then look no further, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, the paramount ruler of Iwoland, is the man. Everything about this fashionista explains the kind of leader he is.
How many of his attributes do we talk about? Is it his love for home-made i.e Nigerian-made clothes that we want to talk about or his fashion that speaks our culture and tradition in all ramifications. Recently, he made a statement about youth that reads thus: “I love to motivate the youth and make them think out of the box to free themselves from mental slavery, I am sent by God to provide solution to world’s all ills.
To remove corruption from the African traditional and cultural values, which are the best in the world if updated and upgraded, so as to make them attractive and appealing to our youths. I’m going to create a forum soon and all what you don’t understand about culture will be explained, I will let you know the beauty of the Yoruba Culture and Tradition. Do you like what I wear? Do you like my paraphernalia?
The steps/and does the Oluwo of Iwoland’s style makes you want to become a king? If the king’s life is attractive to you now… Then, our culture is becoming more attractive because of its upgrading and updating in my Era”. These were his statements written on his social medium platform recently. Then, to confirm them, and to ask necessarily questions, you might be thinking of, as you all know that at City People, our core objective is to feed you with all the happenings/information about your celebrities.
City People’s Assistant Editor, SUNDAY ADIGUN, met with His Royal Majesty, Emperor Telu 1 Alashe lori Orisha, Asoju Eledumare and Natural Paramount Ruler of Yorubaland, Oluwo-of-Iwoland, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, at the just concluded: “Entertainment meets security” Concert organised by Nigeria Police in Lagos. Where he spoke exclusively on how he planned to empower the youth to take up leadership roles and the brains behind his Fashion statements he has been making over the years. Excerpts
There has been a lot of calls for the youth to rise for leadership roles, do you think Nigerian youths are prepared?
That is why I’m saying it and empowering them that all youths must go into politics, because if you are a professional or you have something to give and you don’t go into politics, then, it means you are leaving politics for people who are unworthy to be there.
If you leave Agbero and road-side mechanics to control politics, when they make a tout Law for you, you doctor should not complain, because you are the one, who says you don’t want to be a leader. In our society today, it’s when you go into politics that you become a leader, and for you to be a leader you have to take bold steps.
Recently, you attended Bola Ahmed Tinubu Leadership Submit, what can you say about the submit and the organisers?
Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made impact on a lot of lives. He has raised leaders, he has built leaders, I would say that I’ve learnt that from him, because I also have a dream to raise and build leaders for tomorrow. It is our responsibilities to invest more in building leaders, that is how people can say:
“Yes” truly you are a good father”, but if you don’t build them up, they won’t respect you, no matter the number of years you rule over them. If you don’t have a record of somebody or some people whom you’ve raised in one way or the other, then you are a failure. Tinubu is not that type of leader, Tinubu is successful today because he has raised many leaders, who can say today that if not for God and Tinubu, they won’t be where they are today and that is success. I am a traditional ruler and a father of the nation, so I must raise my children for a better tomorrow.
Kabiyeesi, you are so passionate about the youth, what really informed that passion?
I’m a leader, everything in life is leadership, it’s about passion for humanity. I have passion to serve humanity and passion to prepare youths for tomorrow.
Your attire/fashion style is known to make a statement as a traditional ruler.
What really informs the way you dress?
I’m making a statement for the future with my style, which is about taking our own traditional fabrics, our own traditional wears to the next level, updating and upgrading them that is the same thing I’m talking about our culture. It needs to be updated and upgraded, I’m weeding all the corruption, all ills from our traditional and cultural system, so that it can be more attractive, you see what I’m wearing now, will you not like to wear it? So, that’s what I’m doing, I’m trying to upgrade and update. It’s like a professor of 1964, who didn’t upgrade or update and wants to teach in 2018, doctors of 1964, who does not upgrade and update, how can they treat people in 2018, it’s not possible, so far the present has to be better than the past, that is why you see me making that statement all round.
Who has been the brain behind your designs?
I design all my fabric styles by myself it’s about the future, it’s about improving on our traditions and one has to guide them jealously.
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