The simmering rivalry between two prominent Yoruba monarchs deepened this week as the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, dismissed a 48-hour ultimatum issued by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, over a controversial chieftaincy title.
The dispute centers on the Ooni’s decision to bestow the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on Ibadan-based businessman, Chief Dotun Sanusi. The Alaafin, viewing the move as an affront to his authority and the Yoruba traditional order, demanded that the title be withdrawn within two days.
But the Ife palace responded with scorn. Ooni’s spokesman, Moses Olafare, described the ultimatum as an “empty threat from a dead empire,” stressing that the monarch would not be distracted by supremacy battles.
Posting on social media, Olafare wrote that the Ooni is focused on entrepreneurship and youth empowerment, pointing to the ongoing plans for the Ojaja Smart City project in Ibadan, touted as the largest of its kind in Africa. He argued that while the Ooni is busy pursuing development, others are fixated on power struggles that no longer hold meaning.
“The ultimatum will soon expire, and we are waiting,” Olafare stated. “How can a king who is building businesses and jobs across Yorubaland waste time on supremacy quarrels? Issuing threats over a title that doesn’t even exist is pointless.”
The exchange highlights the fragile balance of power within Yoruba traditional institutions, where questions of authority and influence often spark tension. For the Ooni, however, the focus appears to be on shaping his legacy through innovation and development rather than engaging in what he sees as outdated contests of supremacy.