The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, has given the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, a 48-hour ultimatum to withdraw the confernment of the chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on business magnate, Dotun Sanusi.
In a statement signed by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, the Alaafin described the Ooni’s action as an affront to Yoruba tradition and a violation of established authority.
He insisted that only the Alaafin reserves the exclusive right to bestow titles that cover the entire Yorubaland.
Oba Owoade demanded the revocation of the title on Sanusi within 48 hours, accusing Ooni of overstepping his boundary.
He criticized the Ooni of Ife for taking the peace and unity initiative of the Alaafin for granted by taking decisions that are not only ultra vires, but derogatory to the Titan of Yorubaland.
“The conferment of a chieftaincy title that pertains to Yorubaland by the Ooni of Ife is not only an affront to the revered institution of the Alaafin, but also contrary to law and tradition,” the statement reads.
“The Ooni is behaving as if there is no authority to check and call him to order. The Alaafin therefore demands an immediate revocation of the so-called Okanlomo of Yorubaland title within 48 hours or face the consequences.”
The Alaafin also cited past legal and historical precedents in support of his claim. He recalled that the Supreme Court had previously affirmed the Alaafin’s sole authority to confer Yoruba-wide titles.
Historically, Alaafin Adeyemi I signed a treaty with the British Crown in 1888, formally recognising the Alaafin as the head of Yorubaland, while colonial records such as Lord Lugard’s 1917 Political Memoranda further listed the Alaafin as “Head of Yoruba Kings.”
A similar dispute occurred in 1991 when the then Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, attempted to install Chief Tom Ikimi as Akinrogun of Yorubaland. The move was nullified following strong opposition from the Alaafin and the intervention of the Oyo State Government, reinforcing the Alaafin’s position as the custodian of Yoruba-wide chieftaincy titles.
While some historians and cultural leaders recognise the Alaafin’s political supremacy, others argue that the Ooni of Ife, regarded as the spiritual leader of the Yoruba, and the Alaafin of Oyo should be seen as complementary authorities rather than rivals.
The latest confrontation has once again revived the age-long question of traditional supremacy between the two revered monarchs, raising concerns about its implications for unity and peace in Yorubaland.
