Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi, the King of the Yoruba people in Nigeria, is facing strong criticism from his people in Osun State over behaviour they have described as “becoming Saudi”. The criticism includes his occasional wearing of Saudi attire, speaking positively about Saudi Arabia, and frequently receiving unidentified visitors from Saudi Arabia who are described as intelligence operatives.

Leaders of the Yoruba people said during the campaign against the king that he had become “a Saudi national”, describing what they see as his close association with Saudi Arabia, which they characterised as a bad country.

Thousands of Yoruba people wrote online that the Saudi regime represents absolute evil and is a source of hatred, racism and terrorism, adding that they do not want such influences imported into their country.

Although the king issued a statement last Thursday denying that he had abandoned his identity and culture, and rejecting claims that he had become “a Saudi national”, the campaign has continued, with critics demanding that he sever all ties with Saudi Arabia.

The protest against King Abdulrasheed is regarded as the first protest of its kind against a traditional ruler and the largest of its kind in modern Nigerian history.