The lingering rivalry between two foremost Yoruba monarchs — the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi — has taken a new turn, prompting urgent intervention from Yoruba elders and socio-cultural leaders.
The latest feud erupted after the Alaafin openly faulted the Ooni’s conferment of the title Okanlomo of Yorubaland on Chief Dotun Sanusi, a prominent businessman, during the unveiling of the indigenous networking platform “2geda” in Ibadan over the weekend.
In a statement released by his media aide, Bode Durojaiye, the Alaafin insisted that no monarch besides him had the authority to bestow titles of pan-Yoruba significance, issuing a 48-hour ultimatum to the Ooni to revoke the honour “or face the consequences.”
The Ooni’s spokesman, Moses Olafare, dismissed the statement, describing it as unworthy of a formal response. “We cannot dignify the undignifiable with an official reaction. Let’s focus on unity, not division. Forty-eight hours, my foot,” Olafare declared.
The exchange adds to a string of public confrontations between both monarchs. In May, the Alaafin remained seated at a public function where others stood to greet the Ooni, while a viral clip in June showed the duo exchanging cold stares at the West African Economic Summit.
Alarmed by the growing tension, Yoruba leaders have begun mediatory efforts. The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, confirmed he has contacted key elders to intervene, stressing that unity must not be sacrificed. “This is an issue between two fathers. I’ll personally reach out to them and rally Yoruba leaders to prevent old wounds from reopening,” Adams said.
The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), through its Secretary-General, Oladipo Oyewole, urged restraint and called on the Osun and Oyo State governments to step in immediately. “The government must act to avert further aberrations. This is an urgent situation,” Oyewole warned.
Renowned Ifa scholar, Prof. Wande Abimbola, also appealed for calm, noting that behind-the-scenes efforts are underway to convene Yoruba traditional rulers and elders for a peace dialogue. “Our Obas must not be seen quarrelling. We will resolve this as elders,” he said.
The feud has also drawn sharp reactions from Ibadan leaders, including the Mogajis, who described the Alaafin’s ultimatum as “irrational and divisive,” while vowing to resist any attack on Sanusi, an Ibadan chief.
Pan-Yoruba socio-political group Afenifere threw its weight behind the Ooni, stressing that historical and cultural legitimacy places him above other monarchs as the ancestral father of Yorubaland. “The Ooni’s supremacy transcends provincial boundaries. Every Yoruba lineage traces its origin to Ile-Ife,” Afenifere’s Organising Secretary, Abagun Omololu, asserted.
Legal experts have also weighed in, with barrister Pelumi Olajengbesi affirming that no law or court ruling grants the Alaafin exclusive rights to confer pan-Yoruba titles. “The Ooni acted within his authority as custodian of Yoruba identity. He has not usurped any power,” he maintained.
As calls for reconciliation intensify, Yoruba elders and cultural leaders are expected to meet in the coming days to prevent the row from further dividing two of the most powerful thrones in Yoruba history.
