Oluwo of Iwo bans Hennessy, other alcoholic drinks from palace

The Oluwo of Iwo, Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has banned Hennessy and other alcoholic drinks from his palace, saying they pose health risks and should not be offered to him or other elders.

The traditional ruler announced the decision in a video shared on his Facebook page on Tuesday.

Mr Akanbi warned that anyone who brings alcoholic drinks to the palace intends to “eliminate the king.”

Health concerns

Mr Akanbi said the gin, schnapps and imported spirits often reserved for elders are harmful to health and should no longer be brought to his palace.

“The so-called alcohol usually presented or reserved for the elders is detrimental to their health – it leads to death,” he said.

“Anyone who brings hot drinks to the king’s palace wants to eliminate the king. Gin, schnapps reserved for the elderly should not be brought to my palace because what they call alcohol for the elderly is made by the Western people to kill and destroy internal organs. It will render the kidneys useless.”

The traditional ruler said he recently learnt that some visitors had brought Hennessy to the palace.

“I heard you brought Hennessy; don’t bring it here o; you want to kill me. Anyone who brings Hennessy or other dangerous alcoholic drinks has the intention to kill me. So, I should drink an entire bottle; what will I use to pray?” he asked.

He argued that alcohol was not part of Yoruba ancestral practice.

Health experts have long warned about the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption, including liver disease and kidney damage.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that “no level of alcohol consumption is completely safe for health”

Criticism of traditional practices

Mr Akanbi also condemned what has become a cultural practice where masquerades wield canes and beat people on the road.

He described it as violence. “Are Yoruba cows? How can I be a king and people are being macheted in the streets? Are we butchers?”

He noted that adherents of traditional religion should eliminate the violent practices if they want wider acceptance.

He also criticised the restriction of movement during the Oro festival, describing it as unconstitutional and questioning why women should be prevented from moving freely during some traditional festivals.

“We restrict people’s movement; even the president cannot do that. It is unconstitutional. It is illegal,” he said.

He also queried why women should be restricted from walking during certain traditional festivals.

Since ascending the throne in 2016, the Oluwo of Iwo has frequently spoken against some traditional and cultural practices in Yorubaland.

He has also been involved in several ‘fights’ with religious and traditional leaders. He was suspended by the Osun State Council of Traditional Rulers for allegedly behaving improperly to some fellow traditional rulers.

Mr Akanbi, in his reaction, said the suspension is “a mere audio pronouncement.