The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Adewale Akanbi, has said some Nigerians who engage in internet fraud, drugs and other criminal activities outside the shores of the country were not bastards.
The controversial monarch said they were taught these criminal activities by the previous Nigerian leaders and their own fathers.
In a statement made available to our correspondent on Wednesday, the flamboyant monarch urged them to stop perpetrating crimes and return home to contribute to the development of Nigeria.
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Oba Akanbi, who returned to Nigeria from Canada to ascend the throne of his forefathers issued the statement to commemorate Canada Day.
He said, “While growing up in my country of birth, I ran away from Nigeria whose leaders during that time only taught their children and citizens how to steal and loot the wealth of the land by depriving them of all infrastructural growth.
“To all Nigerians living abroad chased away by corrupt governments, please come back home , your new leaders are not stealing and looting your wealth anymore.
“I know most of you that indulge in criminal activities overseas are not bastards because you were taught in the first place by your fathers and leaders.
“But you should stop your criminal activities now because you have new fathers and leaders who are teaching you honesty and how to be upright.
“Don’t be bastards to your new found fathers… its a time of rebirth.”
The monarch hailed Canada for accommodating him, teaching him virtues and inculcating leadership skills in him.
He said he had been using what his adopted country taught him to develop Iwoland since he ascended the throne.
He said further, ” I have taken the mantle of leadership through royalty as a king of the Great Kingdom of Iwo. I’m now applying the values learnt from you to serve my own land and the pilot of our nation, President Muhammadu Buhari, does not steal, he abhors corruption and also reaches out to the marginalised communities in Nigeria which my kingdom has been one since 1960.
“Today, we have been recognised during my reign, we have a Federal College of Education situated in my beautiful Iwo. I myself have used those values taught by the great leaders of Canada to add value and develop my land in the best way I can making it one of the best and fastest growing cities in Nigeria.
“With those values learnt from you Iwo will be competing with Canada one day because I have a dream.”