“Anyone Who Brings Hennessy to My Palace Wants to Kpa! Me” – Oluwo of Iwo Bans Alcoholic Drinks

• The Oluwo of Iwo has banned Hennessy and other alcoholic drinks from his palace, saying anyone who brings them intends to harm him because of their health effects.
• The monarch also criticised some traditional practices, insisting that alcohol is not part of Yoruba culture and questioning movement restrictions during the Oro festival.

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has declared that alcoholic drinks, including Hennessy, are no longer welcome in his palace, warning that anyone who brings such gifts does not have his best interests at heart.

Speaking in a video shared on his Facebook page, the traditional ruler said the common practice of presenting alcohol to kings and elders is harmful to their health and should be discouraged.

According to him, “The so-called alcohol usually presented or reserved for the elders is detrimental to their health – it leads to de@th.”

The monarch went further to caution visitors against bringing gin, schnapps, Hennessy or any other alcoholic beverages to the palace.

“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 k+ll and destroy internal organs. It will render the kidneys useless.”

Referring specifically to Hennessy, Oba Akanbi said he recently learnt that some visitors brought bottles of the drink to the palace.

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

The monarch also maintained that alcohol has no place in Yoruba ancestral tradition. He criticised certain traditional practices, describing the public flogging of people by masquerades as violence.

Oba Akanbi further opposed movement restrictions during the Oro festival, arguing that preventing people—especially women—from moving freely is unconstitutional.

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