The war of words between the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, and the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, took a dizzying dimension on Monday morning as 22 Egba chiefs, including 15 Ogboni chiefs, gathered in Ake Palace, Abeokuta, Ogun state, to reply Adetona over what they alleged as his “comments against the person and office of Alake.”

Oba Adetona had last Thursday in Lagos claimed among other things that the Alake was a junior chief in Egba forest under Alaafin who fled to Ibadan and that Alake is also of the same status with some Ijebu Obas like the Ebumawe of Ago – Iwoye that are under the jurisdiction of Awujale.

The Awujale made the remarks in reply to an earlier ranking of the Yoruba obas by Alake which placed the Awujale at the tail end on the hierarchy of status.

But reading a prepared speech signed by the Balogun of Egbaland, Chief Sikirulai Atobatele, the BaaIroyin of Egbaland, Chief Lai Labode, said their concern about Awujale’s comment is predicated on the monarch’s self – indulgence to “churn out outright historical falsehoods in the presence of knowledgeable Nigerians.”

Labode said “historically speaking, Alake was higher by Salary differentials paid by the Colonial Government” at the time.

According to him, the Alake of Abeokuta earned £2,250 while the Awujale of Ijebu – Ode earned £1,700 during the colonial era.

Among the Chiefs present are Bameto of Egbaland, Chief George Taylor, Balogun of Ilaho, Chief Adebayo Soyoye, and the Ilagbe of Egbaland, Chief Akin Akinwale.

•Text courtesy of TVC. Photo shows Oba Sikiru Adetona.

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