The age-long rivalry between two of Yorubaland’s foremost monarchs, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, resurfaced this week, sparking urgent calls for restraint and mediation from Yoruba elders and leaders.
The latest row erupted on Monday, August 18, after the Alaafin faulted the Ooni’s decision to confer the chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on a prominent Ibadan businessman, Chief Dotun Sanusi.
The Ooni bestowed the honour during the unveiling of 2geda, an indigenous social media and business networking platform, held at Ilaji Hotel, Ibadan, over the weekend.
In a statement signed by his media aide, Bode Durojaiye, the Alaafin declared that no traditional ruler besides him possessed the authority to confer a title covering the entire Yorubaland.
He issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Ooni to withdraw the title or “face the consequences.” But in a sharp rebuttal, the Ooni’s spokesperson, Moses Olafare, dismissed the ultimatum.
“We cannot dignify the ‘undignifyable’ with an official response. We leave the matter to be handled in the public court of opinion. Let’s rather focus on narratives that unite us rather than those capable of dividing us. No press release, please. Forty-eight hours, my foot!” he wrote.
The public spat is the latest in a string of frosty encounters. In May, a video from an event hosted by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu showed the Alaafin refusing to rise while others stood to greet the Ooni.
In June, another viral clip depicted both monarchs snubbing each other at the West African Economic Summit in Abuja. Though their palaces denied any rift, the repeated clashes have stirred concerns.
Prominent Yoruba figures have stepped in to calm tensions. The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, announced on Tuesday, August 19, that he had begun consultations with leaders across the region to mediate.
“It is an issue between two fathers. I have been calling Yoruba leaders to look for a way to resolve it. We don’t want the unity of the Yoruba land tampered with now. I will be in touch with both fathers.
“Anything that happens between your two fathers must be resolved amicably. We don’t want to open old wounds in public,” Adams said.
Adams, who has long maintained close ties with both royal institutions, stressed that unity was paramount.
He added that political figures must also play a role in diffusing the crisis, noting, “Our political leaders have a role to play, too. Though the issue has lingered, I believe it will be resolved soon.”
The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) also urged restraint, warning that further escalation would contravene the Omoluabi ethos of respect and dignity.
Oladipo Oyewole, Secretary-General of the YCE, called on the governments of Oyo and Osun States to act swiftly.
“The Yoruba Council of Elders has been inundated with inquiries on the unfortunate incident. History must be understood to sort out the issue in a proper perspective. Any action that goes beyond the Omoluwabi ethos must be avoided by the royal fathers. This is an urgent situation.”
Similarly, Ifa scholar and Awise Agbaye, Prof. Wande Abimbola, cautioned against public recriminations.
“Elders don’t assign blame in the media. Often, it is third parties who stand to gain that stoke these misunderstandings. Our obas are fathers to us all; they must not be seen quarrelling,” he told journalists.
Abimbola revealed that Yoruba elders are planning a high-level meeting involving traditional rulers from all six Yoruba-speaking states and Kwara.
“We will pick an oba from each state. I’ll personally attend the meeting with a lawyer. Together, we’ll examine the issue and seek an amicable resolution,” he said.
The Alaafin’s ultimatum provoked backlash in Ibadan, where Chief Dotun Sanusi enjoys widespread respect.
The President of Ibadan Mogajis, Asimiyu Ariori, and Coordinator of the Ibadan Compound Peace Initiative, Nurudeen Akinade, condemned the Alaafin’s threat, describing it as “irrational and divisive.”
They warned: “The kind of Alaafin we have now may end up being an embarrassment to Yorubaland. He has started provoking Ibadan people by targeting a foremost Olubadan chief, philanthropist, and respected personality, Dotun Sanusi. Ibadan will resist any attack on its pride.”
The Mogajis further accused the Alaafin of showing disrespect to the Ooni during a recent Ibadan visit, calling the conduct “unbecoming of a custodian of Yoruba culture.”
The pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, backed the Ooni as head of all Yoruba kings.
Its Organising Secretary, Abagun Omololu, argued that colonial restructuring of Yorubaland sowed confusion about traditional authority.
“During the colonial period, the British deliberately divided Yorubaland into provinces—Oyo, Ondo, Ijebu, Abeokuta, and Lagos Colony. The Alaafin’s authority was confined to Oyo Province, while the Ooni’s supremacy transcended provincial boundaries,” Omololu explained.
He maintained that Yoruba unity could only be safeguarded by reaffirming the Ooni’s traditional primacy across the land.
As calls for calm mount, Yoruba leaders are unanimous about one thing: the quarrel must not undermine unity at a time of economic and political challenges.
“The Yoruba nation has always been respected for its rich culture, deep traditions, and resilient leadership.
“This is not the time to allow divisions at the top to ripple across the land,” said Prof. Abimbola.
For many, the latest clash between the Alaafin and the Ooni is not just about titles but a test of leadership, history, and the ability of Yoruba elders to safeguard cohesion in a region that has long prided itself on cultural sophistication and unity.
(Pulse)
