The last 48 hours have witnessed different reactions and opinions from Nigerians, particularly among the Yoruba people of the South-West, following a statement released by the office of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, on Monday.

The statement, issued by the Alaafin’s Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, took aim at the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, over the conferment of the chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on Ibadan businessman, Dotun Sanusi.

In the statement, the Alaafin argued that the power to bestow a pan-Yoruba title rests solely with him, insisting that no other Yoruba monarch, including the Ooni, has the right to do so.

The declaration, which has since gone viral and dominated public discourse in recent days, has been met with mixed reactions across the country.

‘Royal ultimatum’: Nigerians react

While some Nigerians backed Alaafin, affirming his right as the sole Yoruba monarch with authority to confer such titles, others dismissed the ultimatum as disrespectful.

Supporting Alaafin’s position, a Nigerian Facebook user, Muiz Agboluaje, wrote, “Supreme Court has already affirmed Alaafin with the sole authority to confer honour on people. I think Ooni should be aware of this. I remembered vividly this case happened between the previous Alaafin and Ooni of Ife.”

Similarly, Ayo Olanitori said, “Alaafin has done the right thing, the record should be set straight once and for all.”

But in a contrary view, another netizen, Wale Sowemimo, wrote, “The Federal Government has placed the Throne of Oni of Ife above every other kingship thrones in Yoruba land!

“Probably The Alaafin just wants to flaunt his colorful feathers to remind Aso Rock that The Iku Baba Yeye too dey available to jointly chair the Nigerian Traditional Council with a Northern Emir.”

Olagoke Ironimi also criticised the Alaafin, saying, “This new Alafin is overstepping his boundaries. If your traditional power surpasses Ooni of Ife, why were you not recognized by the constitutional law of the country that recognized Sultan of Sokoto and Ooni of Ife as the traditional supreme leaders?”

Some Nigerians, however, refused to take sides, instead calling for peace and unity among the highly referred monarchs.

Adesuyi Ajayi wrote, “The Monarchs should stay in their lanes. We don’t need all this turbulence. Haba. This is how Monarchy will become obsolete.”

Oluwaseun Peters added, “What a misplaced priority! Southwest has been a geo-political desert long time ago due to all these supremacy battles. It is better we retrace our missing steps instead of all these unnecessary and useless claims!”

Royal battle: The genesis

The renewed rivalry between the two foremost Yoruba monarchs surfaced following the revival of reports that the Ooni had conferred the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on Chief Dotun Sanusi.

Checks by Tribune Online revealed that the title had initially been conferred on Sanusi five years ago during the reign of the late Alaafin Adeyemi III, but the formal installation was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the matter seemed to have resurfaced after the Ooni praised Sanusi during a broadcast on Ilaji 91.9 FM on Saturday, commending his visionary establishment of Ilaji Radio, which he described as a platform that would showcase Yoruba culture, values, and heritage to the world.

Barely 48 hours later, the Alaafin’s palace issued a strongly worded statement condemning the conferment of any pan-Yoruba title by a monarch other than the Alaafin.

Alaafin’s 48-hour ultimatum

Oba Owoade, in a statement signed by his spokesman, Bode Durojaiye, accused the Ooni of consistently overstepping his bounds, acting beyond his traditional jurisdiction, and disregarding a Supreme Court ruling that affirmed the Alaafin’s exclusive authority in such matters.

He argued that the Ooni’s instrument of office restricts his powers to Oranmiyan Local Government, which has since been divided into Ife Central, Ife North and Ife South.

The statement therefore demanded that the title be revoked within 48 hours, warning that failure to comply would attract consequences.

The statement partly reads, “The dictum that nobody is above the law of the land is now being put to a crucial test and the reality of our time makes it very obligatory for the Alaafin to call the Ooni of Ife to order and demand REVOCATION of the so-called OKANLOMO of Yorubaland chieftaincy title conferred on Engineer Dotun Sanusi WITHIN 48 HOURS or face the consequences.”

Ooni’s aide fires back

Within 24 hours of the ultimatum, Moses Olafare, Director of Media and Public Affairs to the Ooni of Ife, dismissed the threat. He said the Ooni would not dignify the statement with an official response, describing the ultimatum as “empty.”

Olafare explained that his principal considered Alaafin’s warning unworthy of a reply and had chosen to leave the matter to public opinion.

He wrote, “My Principal has directed me against issuing a Press Release on the Empty Threat of the Alawada Babasala. I beg to disappoint you gentlemen of the press.

”We can not 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.

“No Press Release pls??48 Hours My Foot!!!”

Pan-Yoruba chieftaincy title: A blast from the past

While the Okanlomo title has stirred heated debate, this is not the first time such a development has created tension between the Ooni of Ife and the Alaafin of Oyo.

A similar power struggle over the right to confer a pan-Yoruba chieftaincy title erupted in 1991, when the then Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, sought to bestow the Akinrogun of Yorubaland title on the then National Republican Convention (NRC) chairman, Chief Tom Ikimi.

The late Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, strongly cautioned Ikimi against accepting the title, dismissing it as baseless. His stance prompted intervention from then Oyo State military Governor, Col. AbdulKareem Adisa, who ordered the Ooni to suspend the conferment.

But Oba Sijuwade defied the order, and his palace issued a statement hours later confirming the title would proceed. Signed by the Ooni’s deputy, Chief S. F. Omisakin, the statement explained that Ikimi was being honoured as “Akinrogun from the source (Ile-Ife),” dismissing the Alaafin’s claim to an “Akinrogun of Yorubaland” title.

Despite the dispute, the ceremony went ahead, with the state government later clarifying that while the Ooni could confer titles, his authority was limited to Ile-Ife.

After 48 hours, what’s Alaafin’s Next move?

While Nigerians await the next move of the Alaafin, it will be recalled that Oba Owoade, in his warning statement, claimed that a Supreme Court judgment had ruled that only the Alaafin of Oyo holds the exclusive right to confer chieftaincy titles that cover the entire Yorubaland.

“The Ooni of Ife is behaving as if there is no Authority to check and call him to order and 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, the Supreme Court, which had ruled on the Exclusive preserve of the Alaafin to confer chieftaincy title that covers the entire Yorubaland on anyone.”

However, Tribune Online could not verify the Supreme Court judgment as of the time of filing this report. It also remains unclear whether Alaafin will seek a judicial interpretation of the acclaimed ruling as part of his next steps.

When contacted, the Alaafin’s Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, told Tribune Online that there is currently no decision on the next course of action, but any move would be communicated at the appropriate time. (Nigerian Tribune)