The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, has issued a stern warning to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, over the recent conferment of the chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on Ibadan businessman, Chief Dotun Sanusi.
In a statement released on Monday through his Chief Press Secretary, Bode Durojaye, the Alaafin described Ooni’s action as an open challenge to his authority and a violation of Yoruba traditional order.
The monarch insisted that only the Alaafin has the legal and traditional power to bestow any title that covers the whole of Yorubaland, citing a Supreme Court judgment backing this claim.
“The conferment of a chieftaincy title which borders on Yorubaland by the Ooni of Ife is not only an affront to the revered institution of the Alaafin, who holds the exclusive right to confer any chieftaincy title covering the entirety of Yorubaland on anyone,” the statement read.
He further accused Ooni of overstepping his jurisdiction. “The instrument of office presented to Oba Ogunwusi during his installation specifically limits his traditional area of authority to Oranmiyan Local Government, which has now been split into Ife Central, Ife North, and Ife South,” the Alaafin said.
The Oyo monarch gave Ooni a 48-hour ultimatum to withdraw the title from Sanusi or face unspecified consequences.
“The Ooni of Ife is behaving as if there is no authority to check and call him to order. Because of that ‘above the law’ syndrome of his, he is in the habit of walking on everybody’s back, including the apex court in the country,” he stated.
While stressing the importance of peace, the Alaafin urged Yoruba traditional rulers to avoid actions that could breed conflict. “It is the joy of our forefathers for us to be in unity, and they did their part in ensuring peace and unity in Yorubaland; we must also strive to achieve this,” he said.
“God Himself is involved in our matter; therefore, we must always, at all times, be concerned about the peace and unity of Yorubaland. We say we want development, but no meaningful and sustainable development will come without peace and unity.”
