A fresh rift has erupted between two foremost Yoruba monarchs as the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, has ordered the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, to revoke within 48 hours the chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland recently conferred on Ibadan businessman, Dotun Sanusi, popularly known as Ilaji.
The Alaafin, in a strongly worded statement, insisted that the Ooni has no traditional or legal authority to bestow Yoruba-wide titles, citing a Supreme Court ruling which, according to him, confers such exclusive powers only on the Alaafin of Oyo. He warned the Ooni “not to stir a hornet’s nest” by exceeding the boundaries of his traditional jurisdiction.
According to the Alaafin, the Ooni’s instrument of office limits his authority to Ife Central, Ife North, and Ife South in Osun State, and does not extend to pan-Yoruba titles. He stressed that the conferment of the Okanlomo of Yorubaland title on Sanusi amounts to an infringement on Oyo’s ancestral prerogatives, which he described as an affront to Yoruba history and tradition.
“While every Oba is free to confer titles within his domain, no one else outside the Alaafin possesses the authority to issue titles that carry the weight of the entire Yorubaland. This is a matter already settled in law and custom,” the statement partly read.
The Alaafin further gave the Ooni a 48-hour ultimatum to withdraw the title or face “serious consequences” that could disrupt harmony among Yoruba monarchs.
This development has sparked concerns among traditional and political stakeholders who fear that the clash, if not quickly resolved, could escalate into a wider conflict between two of the most powerful thrones in Yorubaland.
Dotun Sanusi, a prominent Ibadan businessman and philanthropist, had recently been conferred the Okanlomo of Yorubaland title by the Ooni in a high-profile ceremony attended by dignitaries. The decision, however, has now triggered a major storm within the traditional institution.
While many await a formal response from the Ooni’s palace, analysts say the episode underscores the long-standing rivalry between the thrones of Oyo and Ife, often rooted in questions of supremacy, authority, and cultural custodianship in Yorubaland.
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