The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade has accused Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi of daring his authorities over recent Okanlomo of Yorubaland title conferred on Ibadan businessman, Engr Dotun Sanusi.
Penpushing reports that Alaafin in a statement on Monday by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, described Ooni’s action as an affront and a violation of Yoruba tradition, declaring that it only the Alaafin who reserves the authority to confer titles with Yoruba-wide recognition.
“The conferment of a Yoruba-wide chieftaincy title by the Ooni is not only ultra vires but an insult to the Titan of Yorubaland. The Supreme Court itself has ruled that only the Alaafin has such authority. Yet, the Ooni continues to act above the law, trampling on both tradition and the courts,” the statement read.
Penpushing further reports that the statement emphasised that Ooni’s constitutional and traditional powers are restricted to Ife land, specifically Oranmiyan Local Government—now divided into Ife Central, Ife North, and Ife South.
The monarch pointed out that Ooni’s decision undermines the sanctity of Yoruba traditional institutions and could trigger grave consequences, andd therefore warned him to revoke the title within 48 hours,arguing that he(Ooni) has no mandate to confer a title that covers the whole of Yorubaland stressing that this must stop.
Penpushing also reports that Owoade accused the Ooni of mistaking his ongoing unity tour of Yoruba kingdoms for weakness, emphasizing that peace and development can only thrive when traditional hierarchy is respected.
“Our forefathers sacrificed for unity, and we must preserve it. But the Ooni of Ife is mistaking the Alaafin’s peace initiative for weakness, hence these provocative actions”, the statement added.
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