The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has come under intense criticism from his former wife, Queen Chanel Chin, who labelled him a “deadbeat father” after the monarch accused the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, of conspiring with her to bring him down.
Queen Chanel, who was born in Canada to Jamaican parents, is the daughter of reggae star Ludlow “Bobo Zaro” Chin, known for working with prominent artistes like Capleton. Before marrying the Iwo monarch, she pursued a career as a model and entrepreneur.
She met Oba Akanbi during a party in Lagos in 2015, and the two eventually married. Their union, however, collapsed in December 2019 after nearly three years.
The Oluwo announced the separation, citing “personal irreconcilable differences.”
Their split quickly turned public, with both parties exchanging heated accusations on social media. Chanel accused the monarch of emotional abuse and claimed she was forcefully ejected from the palace.
The controversy resurfaced this week after Oluwo shared a video on his Instagram page alleging that the Ooni of Ife plotted his downfall by “packaging” Chanel for marriage.
“He (Ooni) was looking for my downfall, and the next thing, they packaged a woman for me. I don’t know her from Canada, but it was packaged for me. It was a setup,” the monarch claimed.
He also alleged that Chanel attempted to poison him twice, made attempts on his life, and gave birth to a child whose paternity he now questions.
“She had a child, which I don’t even know if it’s mine. I have to confirm that through DNA,” Oluwo said, accusing the Ooni of accommodating his ex-wife and having an affair with her.
Declaring his spiritual invincibility, the monarch added: “Sango cannot kill me; Ogun cannot kill me. Only God determines when someone will die.”
Efforts to obtain a response from the Ooni’s media aide, Moses Olafare, were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
Reacting in a statement posted on her Instagram page on Friday, Queen Chanel strongly refuted Oluwo’s claims, describing them as “false, misleading, and damaging to the sacred Yoruba traditional institution.”
She clarified that she met Oba Akanbi through a respected Lagos monarch, not the Ooni of Ife.
“I was introduced to Mr Akanbi by a respected Lagos monarch, not by the Ooni of Ife. During my time as Olori Oluwo, I regarded this Lagos monarch as my Royal Father and still do with respect,” she stated.
Chanel went on to accuse Oluwo of neglecting their son, Prince Oduduwa, for more than five years.
“Mr Akanbi has been absent from Prince Oduduwa’s life for over five years.
“He only resurfaced in August this year in Canada, refused to sign passport papers, but dropped $500, the first support Oduduwa ever received from him since we left the palace,” she alleged.
She urged the public to disregard the monarch’s allegations and called on traditional institutions to caution him.
“This shall be my final statement on the matter. Prince Oduduwa remains my beloved son, and I hold the Yoruba people in deep love and respect,” she concluded.
