Just In: Again, Alaafin of Oyo Addresses Rumoured Fight With Ooni of Ife
- The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, denied being in a supremacy battle with any monarch
- Alaafin revisited speculations of a rift between him and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and addressed it
- Owoade was crowned the 46th Alaafin of Oyo in April 2025, succeeding the 45th Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who died on April 22, 2022
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering metro.
Oyo, Oyo state - Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, the Alaafin of Oyo, has reiterated that contrary to rife media reports, he is not in a supremacy battle with any monarch either in Yorubaland or anywhere in the world.
The Alaafin set the record straight in a statement on Thursday, August 21, released by Bode Durojaiye, his director of media and publicity, The Punch reported.
Source: Twitter
Legit.ng recalls that the Alaafin had asked Ogunwusi to reverse the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland as conferred on businessman Dotun Sanusi within 48 hours.
Reacting via a Facebook post on Tuesday, August 19, spokesperson Moses Olafare said the Ooni had instructed him not to issue an official statement in response to the Alaafin.
He, however, described the Alaafin’s ultimatum as an “empty threat”.
Olafare said:
“We cannot dignify the undignifyable with an official response. We leave the matter to be handled in the public court of opinion as it is already being treated.
“Let’s rather focus on narratives that unite us rather than the ones capable of dividing us. 48 hours my foot!”
The Alaafin had disputed the Ooni’s authority to confer the title on Sanusi.
In a statement issued on Monday, August 18, by Bode Durojaiye, Alaafin’s director of media and publicity, the monarch described the Ooni’s action as a direct challenge to his exclusive right to confer titles that span the entire Yorubaland.
He claimed that the Ooni’s authority is limited to the Oranmiyan local government area (LGA), which has since been divided into Ife Central, Ife North, and Ife South.
Olafare disclosed that his principal will not react to the 48-hour ultimatum from Alaafin Owoade.
Source: Facebook
Now, in a fresh statement, Alaafin's camp cleared the air, explaining that the Oyo monarch is "a veritable custodian of Yoruba tradition and culture".
The statement partly reads, as quoted by PM News:
“At the hallowed ground of the Yoruba ancient shrine, as Owoade made a covenant with illustrious Yoruba ancestors that he would defend, protect and add glamour to the Yoruba norms and tradition. Oduduwa’s principal minister and grandson, Oranmiyan (Because Oduduwa begot Okanbi, (an only child and Okanbi begot Oranmiyan, among others, namely Ila-Orangun, Oni-Sabe, Olu-Popo, Ala-Ketu, Oba-Benin) founded the city of Oyo when prolonged drought struck Ile-Ife as a result of people’s emigration.
“Oyo simply rose to prominence through wealth gained from trade and its military skills. It was the largest West African empire, the most important and authoritative of all the early Yoruba principalities."
Read more on Alaafin of Oyo:
- Oyo gets new Alaafin as Oba Owoade ascends throne
- Abimbola Akeem Owoade: 10 facts about Alaafin of Oyo as Makinde gives approval
Supremacy rights in Yorubaland
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a prominent lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, publicly dismissed claims that the Alaafin of Oyo holds exclusive authority over pan-Yoruba matters, stating that no Supreme Court judgment supports such a position.
Olajengbesi made the assertion in a statement posted on his Facebook page.
Olajengbesi emphasised the historical significance of Ile-Ife, saying it is the origin of Yoruba civilisation.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
