The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has urged Nigerians not to associate the Arabic language exclusively with Islam, stressing that it is spoken by millions of people of different faiths around the world.
According to The PUNCH on Sunday, July 12, 2026, the traditional ruler said speaking Arabic or bearing an Arabic name should not be taken as evidence that a person is Muslim, noting that the language serves as a native or official language in several countries.
“Many churches in Arab countries use the Arabic language to preach,” Oba Akanbi said, adding that the language is widely used by both Christians and Muslims and should not be used as a basis for religious identification.
He argued that misconceptions about Arabic have contributed to the unfair profiling of Muslims, particularly when incidents of banditry occur. The monarch urged security agencies and the public to identify criminals through credible intelligence and evidence rather than assumptions based on language, appearance, or cultural practices.
Oba Akanbi also called on Nigerians to promote peaceful coexistence by respecting religious and cultural differences and rejecting narratives that link crime to any religion.
