Chanel Chin, the former spouse of Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, the Oluwo of Iwo, has publicly refuted the recent accusations he leveled against her and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
Oba Akanbi had claimed that the Ooni orchestrated Ms. Chin’s presence in his palace with the intent to harm him, alleging she attempted to poison him multiple times during their marriage.
He further accused her of engaging in an illicit relationship with the Ooni and cast doubt on the legitimacy of their son, Prince Oduduwa’s paternity.
The couple’s marriage lasted three years before their separation in December 2019, a split officially confirmed by Akanbi’s spokesperson, Alli Ibraheem, who cited “irreconcilable differences” as the cause.
Following their separation, the Oluwo alleged that the Ooni arranged accommodation for Chin and later met her privately at a hotel, promising to provide proof to substantiate these claims in due course.
Chanel Chin, daughter of renowned Jamaican reggae artist Ludlow “Bobo Zaro” Chin, has now issued a response to these serious allegations.
In a detailed Instagram statement, she dismissed the claims as baseless, harmful, and damaging to the reputation of Yoruba traditional leadership.
She emphasized that her introduction to the Oluwo was facilitated by a respected Lagos monarch, not the Ooni of Ife.
“I have become aware of recent media reports involving His Imperial Majesty, the Ooni of Ife. I unequivocally deny these falsehoods, which are misleading and detrimental to the revered Yoruba traditional institution,” she stated.
“To clarify, it was a distinguished Lagos monarch who introduced me to Mr. Akanbi, not the Ooni. During my tenure as Olori Oluwo, I held this Lagos monarch in high esteem as my Royal Father and continue to do so. At no point was I introduced to Mr. Akanbi with any harmful intentions.
“I cherish the memories of visiting this monarch and his Olori in Lagos alongside Mr. Akanbi and our son, Prince Oduduwa.”
Chin also accused the Oluwo of neglecting their son for an extended period, revealing that he only reappeared in their lives recently.
She stated that she has been the sole caregiver for their child and has consistently advocated for amicable co-parenting.
“Mr. Akanbi has been absent from Prince Oduduwa’s life for over five years. He only reemerged in August this year while in Canada, declined to sign passport documents, but provided $500 – the first financial support Oduduwa has received from him since we left the palace.
“Despite this, I have borne full responsibility for raising my son and have always promoted peaceful co-parenting. I therefore urge the public to reject all unfounded accusations against the Ooni of Ife, our esteemed monarch,” she added.
Chin appealed to the public to disregard her ex-husband’s claims and called on Yoruba traditional authorities to advise him against making further statements that undermine the dignity of the institution.
“I also call upon the traditional council to counsel Mr. Akanbi to refrain from further tarnishing the sacred throne he once held. This will be my final comment on this issue. Prince Oduduwa remains my cherished son, and I hold the Yoruba people in the highest regard,” she concluded.
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