Oluwo Officially Joins VDM’s Movement, Declares Self as “Ratel King”

The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, on Wednesday formally identified with the Ratel Movement led by controversial social media activist, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), declaring himself the “King of the Ratels” during the activist’s visit to his palace in Iwo, Osun State.

NAIJAONPOINT reports that the monarch made the declaration while receiving VDM at his palace, where he also adorned the activist in traditional Yoruba attire and conferred on him the honorary traditional title of Atayese of Nigeria.

Addressing members of the movement, popularly known as Ratels, the monarch announced his official entry into the movement, saying they now had a king among them.

“I want you Ratels to know there is now a king in the Ratel. I want your help to cleanse our dirty culture and remove the bad from it. Today, VDM has been chosen,” Oluwo declared.

The monarch charged the movement to expand its mission beyond social advocacy by embracing politics, arguing that meaningful reforms and justice could only be achieved through political power.

“We should not be doing this Ratel to be fighting for the rights of people and doing justice alone. If you know you want to do justice, you need power. If you want to change the nation, you need power.

“Keep moving, but you should not stop yourself from politics because that is the only way you can implement your dreams so that you can even control kings. You have the medicine that can heal a sick nation, but if you don’t seek power, your dream of security and justice won’t be implemented.

“Don’t waste your time by doing this and not joining politics. The Ratel Movement must be moving towards politics,” he said.

Responding, VDM revealed that the Ratel Movement had already begun internal discussions about venturing into politics, though he maintained he had no immediate ambition to seek elective office.

“I told the Ratel leaders that there’s no way we are going to change the country without going into politics. However, we have to move gradually.

“Personally, I don’t think I want to contest for any office whatsoever. However, I believe the Ratel Movement is going to raise the right people to put in those positions in the nearest future.

“I am a very calculative person. I know what I want to achieve and when to achieve it. Give us a little time; we will come with a political party build the party, and trusted persons among us will be selected to contest for offices from the lower level,” he said.

The visit came days after the Oluwo publicly invited VDM to Iwo, describing him as one of the country’s leading voices on transparency and accountability whose anti-corruption campaigns deserved “royal guidance.”

The invitation generated intense debate on social media, with many Nigerians questioning the monarch’s decision, especially in view of his long-standing criticism of traditional religious practices and VDM’s previous comments about him.