The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, gave grains to elderly and vulnerable people in his area on Monday. He suggested that the Federal Government should distribute relief materials to poor Nigerians through traditional rulers.
Oba Akanbi went to Molaasan Royal Compound and other compounds in Iwo, where he personally gave 5kg bags of rice and cash to many vulnerable residents. He stated that kings would not be biased while sharing such items.
The Oluwo expressed his worry that many of the government's interventions after the fuel subsidy removal were not reaching the disadvantaged.
He mentioned, “Kings act as a link between the government and the people. You can see that I went to my people in their respective homes. I didn’t send anyone to them. This shows the government that traditional rulers can go as far as visiting people in their homes because we are the closest to the grassroots.
“I visited Aso Villa to listen to the President. He has good plans, and that's why we are asking Nigerians to come together during this challenging time, with the rich helping the poor so that we can all grow together and fight corruption in the country.”
When asked if the Federal Government could start using kings to distribute relief materials to the underprivileged, Oba Akanbi said, “It's actually the traditional rulers who can reach out to people. People must be genuine in their actions. If they see that kings can reach their people, then why not? Like me, I didn’t show favoritism in the distribution. I gave the food to those who needed it. You can see the love they showed to me.”
