The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has said Yoruba palaces that are free from idol worship occupy a higher spiritual position than mosques, churches and shrines. This is as Oba Akanbi also described such palaces as the earthly seat of God’s authority.
The monarch who made the remarks in a statement released through his Press Secretary, Alli Ibraheem on Wednesday urged traditional rulers to remove deities from their palaces and restore the original essence of kingship. Oba Akanbi, according to the statement, said kings are physical representatives of God on earth and that palaces dedicated solely to Olodumare should not serve as places for the worship or preservation of idols.
He argued that the palace should remain distinct from shrines, saying its role is to provide divine leadership and guidance rather than accommodate traditional deities. The Oluwo maintained that although every community may have several churches, mosques and shrines, there can only be one palace, which he described as the supreme traditional institution in any town.
“Palaces, most especially Yoruba palaces without idols, are greater than mosques, churches and shrines. Palace is not a shrine where deities are kept,” he said.
The traditional ruler stated that he was divinely appointed to guide Yoruba monarchs on the proper conduct of kingship, adding that his mission was to restore the dignity of the royal institution.
“Palace is a place where everybody should go for divine commandment. It is the stool of God on earth. There will be many Mosques, Churches and Shrines in a town, but there can only be one palace,” he said.
Oba Akanbi also criticised the practice of keeping deities within royal palaces, insisting that such objects should instead be relocated to shrines or museums where they can be preserved as part of Yoruba history. He said, “Deities and idols are part of your history. Oluwo is not telling you to throw them away. You can take them to the shrine or community museum of natural history.”
The monarch added that earthly kings should regard themselves as custodians of God’s throne rather than objects of worship, stressing that any honour accorded to them should ultimately be attributed to God.
He urged other traditional rulers to embrace a holistic approach to kingship, maintaining that palaces devoted solely to Olodumare should remain free of deity worship and preserve the sanctity of the royal institution.
