A fresh rift has erupted between two of the most revered monarchs in Yorubaland, as the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, challenged the authority of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, over the conferment of a pan-Yoruba chieftaincy title.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, the Alaafin described as “an affront” the decision of the Ooni to bestow the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on Ibadan-based businessman, Dotun Sanusi.
Oba Owoade, who ascended the throne in April 2025 as the 46th Alaafin of Oyo, insisted that only the Alaafin holds the exclusive right to confer chieftaincy titles that cover the entire Yorubaland, citing past Supreme Court rulings as legal backing.
“The conferment of a chieftaincy title that bothers on Yorubaland by the Ooni of Ife is not only an affront to the revered institution of the Alaafin, who is the Titan of Yorubaland, but also a violation of the Supreme Court ruling,” the statement read.
According to him, the Ooni’s jurisdiction is constitutionally limited to the former Oranmiyan Local Government area, now split into Ife Central, Ife North, and Ife South. He accused Oba Ogunwusi of acting as though “above the law” and warned that such actions could threaten unity among Yoruba monarchs.
The Alaafin demanded that the Ooni revoke the title conferred on Sanusi within 48 hours, warning that there would be unspecified consequences if the directive was ignored.
“The dictum that nobody is above the law of the land is now being put to a crucial test,” he added, stressing that Yorubaland’s peace and unity were too vital to be jeopardised by power tussles.
The development has stirred tension within the Yoruba traditional hierarchy, with observers noting that both monarchs wield deep historical and cultural influence. The Ooni of Ife is regarded as the spiritual head of the Yoruba, while the Alaafin is often seen as the political authority with far-reaching influence across the southwest.
Sanusi, a prominent businessman and philanthropist, has not publicly reacted to the brewing royal tussle.
