Renewed rivalry between the Alaafin of Oyo and the Ooni of Ife has come with deja vu for keen observers of the Yoruba nation, which is partly famous for its epic wars and cavalry.

The latest occupants of the thrones, Oba Akeem Owoade and Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, in that order, rekindled the opposition over the right of conferment of a traditional chieftaincy title on a subject.

Recall that last Monday, the Alaafin issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Ooni of Ife, demanding the revocation of the contentious chieftaincy title, even as he described the Ooni’s action as an affront to his authority, insisting that only the Alaafin holds the exclusive right to confer titles covering the entire Yorubaland.

The unsavoury development has, however, drawn the attention of concerned stakeholders, who rallied for calm between the two monarchs and their loyalists.

Not a family affair

Being children of the same father, Oduduwa, sibling rivalry has long existed between the Ooni and the Alaafin, particularly after Oramiyan rebelled and headed northwards away from the citadel of the Yoruba nation.

The talking drums have started sounding, giving signals for the approaching clash of ancient thrones. But as the traditional spiritualists are yet to begin loud incantations, there are indications that the latest approach to violent exchanges may end up in the realms of verbal pugilism.

What started as mere disputation over rights and hierarchy gradually gained the stature of a simmering antagonism bordering on, not territorial control, but jurisdictional responsibility to confer titles and traditional honours on deserving indigenes.

Matters came to a head shortly after words started making the rounds that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, was planning to confer the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on Chief Dotun Sanusi, who runs the Ilaji Resort and Sports Centre, Ibadan.

But, feeling slighted by what he considers both an affront and trespass to his area of jurisdiction, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, ordered the Ooni to not only cease and desist, but also rescind, within 48 hours, every plan of trying to honour any Yoruba citizen within his (Oyo) empire.

It is not the first time the Ooni of Ife and the Alaafin of Oyo have gone to ‘war’.

For instance, in 1991, when the then Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, was finalising plans to confer the title of Akinrogun of Yorubaland on a politician, Chief Tom Ikimi, the then Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, urged the planned beneficiary, Ikimi, not to accept the title.

After prolonged back and forth, including the Oyo State military government’s intervention, the process was allowed to run its full course, culminating in the legendary disclosure by the Ooni that the Alaafin’s authority ensues from Ile-Ife.

Waxing triumphal, Oba Sijuade had stated: “The Government of Oyo State may wish to know that the crown on the Alaafin of Oyo’s head, which confers on him the rights and responsibilities of a traditional ruler, was given to him by the Ooni of Ife.

“And, you may not know that I can withdraw his crown and he will become an ordinary citizen by evoking the special power conferred on me at the temple of Oduduwa.”

But, instead of resting the confusion as to where the final authority of the Yoruba lies, as many expected, the recent altercation between the successors of the Ooni and Alaafin stools has thrown up new worries.

However, in a hurried move to ensure that the misunderstanding does not culminate in a wider conflagration, prominent Yoruba leaders, including the Olugbon of Orile, Oba Francis Alao, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, and the Yoruba Ronu group have intervened, stressing that there was no substance to the war of words between the two occupants of the revered traditional institutions.

The Aare Ona Kakanfo, Adams, who was installed by the late Alaafin Lamidi Adeyemi, said he had reached out to both monarchs and other elders, noting that: “The two monarchs are our pride in Yorubaland and indeed in Africa.

“We cannot afford disunity among them. Especially at a time of insecurity in the land, their unity is critical. If there is no crack in the wall, the lizard cannot penetrate.”

On his part, the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Alao, appealed for calm, urging supporters of both monarchs to halt provocative media exchanges, remarking that his consultations with both Obas confirmed their mutual commitment to unity.

Oba Alao, who is a foremost monarch, also cautioned Yoruba sons and daughters across the world against emotional outbursts that could drag the revered thrones into disrepute over what was, at best, a speculative title conferment on Chief Sanusi.

Suing for calm in a statement, yesterday, Oba Alao said that the latest controversy was unnecessary.

“There is no substance to the issue, because it is mere speculation. I am in touch with both the Alaafin and the Ooni, and I can confirm that neither of the traditional rulers is interested in dragging the matter. They are both for peace and unity. I have said it before, the Ooni remains the Ooni, and the Alaafin remains the Alaafin. There is no supremacy battle.

“Even in the face of misunderstandings, which are not unusual in human relations, caution must not be thrown to the wind. Our culture of respect for monarchs must not be overshadowed by emotion.

“We should not allow Yoruba monarchs to be debased by social media content creators. Obas’ thrones are too sacred to be desecrated by all and sundry. I urge us to preserve the sanctity of our thrones, which represent the totality of who we are, and continue to uphold the Omoluabi ethos in all situations.

“As Obas, we are deeply engaged in efforts that will bring development, peace, and unity to Yorubaland.”

Also quelling speculations of a supremacy battle, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, has dismissed speculations of being in a supremacy tussle with any traditional ruler, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi.

In a press release issued on Thursday by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, the monarch said he remains a “veritable custodian of Yoruba culture and tradition,” stressing that he prioritises the welfare and safety of his subjects over personal interests.

“Why does Alaafin need to get into any battle for supremacy with any Oba, either in Yorubaland or anywhere in the universe? These immortal words of Alexander Graham Bell – The most successful men in the end are those whose success is the result of steady accretion – sum up the life voyage of Owoade, an indomitable monarch with an unequalled passion for the great good of all,” the statement held.

While noting that Alaafin Owoade has always relied on the will and wishes of his people and would never “compromise tradition, culture and development of his people for a pot of porridge”.

The statement went on to trace the historical prominence of Oyo. “The city rose to power through wealth and military might, becoming the largest West African empire, the most important and authoritative of all the early Yoruba principalities. The British colonial government recognised the Alaafin as the ‘Superior Head of the Yoruba Nation’ during the signing of treaties.

“Oba Owoade remains deeply concerned about the sanctity of his position and the welfare of his people. The basic concept of government was monarchy with a rigid adherence to the monolithic Oduduwa dynasty and of the paternal line,” the statement noted.

Identifying with the Alaafin’s position, a pro-Yoruba group, Yoruba Peace Advocates, lamented that the Ooni’s actions could divide the Yoruba nation, though it called for an amicable settlement of issues.

The group said since the title of Sanusi, the owner of Ilaji Farms and Resorts, is now Okanlomo of Oodua land, the two foremost Yoruba monarchs should let the issue slide and embrace peace.

Calling on political authorities to intervene, particularly Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo and Ademola Adeleke of Osun, the Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum has urged the Alaafin of Oyo and the Ooni of Ife to sheathe their swords and recognise that they both operate under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria while representing the Yoruba nation.

President of the Forum, Akin Malaolu, warned that the ongoing public exchanges between the monarchs have brought embarrassment to Yoruba sons and daughters at home and in the Diaspora.

He recalled how elders in Ogun State swiftly intervened in a dispute between the Alake of Egbaland and the late Awujale of Ijebu, restoring peace between the two respected rulers. “This present quarrel is unnecessary and must be stopped. Governors Makinde and Adeleke should step in, if not publicly, at least quietly,” he advised.

He said in the Ashanti Kingdom in Ghana, a traditional ruler cannot speak evil of a fellow traditional ruler or try to exercise any influence outside his jurisdiction.

Malaolu further expressed concern that the face-off reflects poorly on the modern process of selecting traditional rulers, which he argued deviates from ancestral standards guided by Yoruba deities. He stressed that the Constitution clearly defines the authority of each monarch, leaving no room for claims of supremacy beyond their respective domains.

“Neither the Alaafin, the Ooni, nor any other Oba has the right to assert supremacy across Yorubaland. The law is clear—the ongoing fight is needless and a charade,” he declared.

Similarly, former National Secretary of the Yoruba Council of Elders, Dr Kunle Olajide, cautioned the monarchs to reflect on the wider implications of their actions.

“The more they descend into public quarrels, the more they embarrass the Yoruba nation,” he said. (The Guardian)