The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi Telu I, has stirred controversy, dismissing traditional religious practices, declaring that he cannot trust native doctors with his life.
In a viral video seen by TVC News on Monday, the Oluwo of Iwo dismissed traditional religious practices, claiming that people in Yorubaland are incurring curses by worshipping deities associated with the tribe.
The monarch also drew comparisons between Nigeria and countries such as China and India, asserting that Nigerians are superior despite ongoing economic and developmental challenges.
Oluwo said, “I can’t trust my life with a native doctor who cannot perform surgery. Religion is about your personal relationship with God. I can’t trust a native doctor with my life, and that’s a reality. A native doctor is in charge of the shrine, and I’m a king in my kingdom. A king does not have anything to do with the shrine.
“The Yoruba people are only distributing curses by worshipping the gods. Do not compare yourself to the people of China and India, who worship gods. We are far better than they are.”
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The Monarch added, “Our future cannot be compared to theirs. The devil is covering your faces by comparing us with China. We are greater than them in everything. They still travel down here for our mineral resources. If they are better than us, they shouldn’t be in our country buying land and all.”
Last week, Legendary Fuji musician, Saheed Okunola, popularly called Saheed Osupa, also stirred controversy after opening up about practising traditional African rituals, also known as ‘juju’, stating that they play a role in improving his life and contributing to his success.
Osupa disclosed this while performing at the 52nd-year on-stage celebration of veteran actor Fatai Odua, popularly known as Lalude, on March 30, 2026.
In the viral video posted by Alaje TV on Facebook, seen by TVC News on Wednesday, Saheed Osupa was addressing members of his band on stage, urging them to embrace ‘juju’ as a way to enhance their performance and improve memory retention after rehearsals.
