A former Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties to the late Ondo State Governor, Doyin Odebowale, has faulted the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, over his recent confrontation with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on a chieftaincy matter.
The dispute arose after the Ooni conferred the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on Ibadan-based businessman Dotun Sanusi. The Alaafin subsequently issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding that the title be withdrawn, claiming authority over Yoruba land chieftaincy issues.
Reacting on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Odebowale argued that traditional rulers exercise power only within their local government jurisdictions and are not constitutionally superior to elected officials at that level.
“With respect to most of these rulers now, there is a misapprehension of roles. They want to be addressed as Kabiyesi, but they are not. They are under the local government chairman in their respective localities. So this idea of somebody sitting in Oyo and legislating on what happens in Ile-Ife is a misnomer,” he said.
He added that the Alaafin may have been misled into believing a jurisdictional dispute existed with the Ooni. “I don’t see any justification for this distraction,” he stated.
Odebowale attributed recurring tensions among Yoruba monarchs to what he described as “permissive decadence” in the traditional system, lamenting that some rulers now appear more interested in titles and recognition than in preserving cultural values.
“It appears to me that they are in a hurry to discard tradition. They are so happy when they are addressed as Oba, assistant pastor, or Alhaji; that is total abnegation of traditional values,” he added.
Providing historical context, Odebowale noted that colonial-era reforms had downgraded empires into stools and restricted monarchs’ powers through chieftaincy laws. “By government structure, their powers do not go beyond their local government. The Ooni of Ife is in Osun State and has his traditional council. The Alaafin of Oyo is in Oyo State and also has a council. By the Oyo State chieftaincy law, only four Obas are recognised as imperial majesties. The Alaafin cannot act beyond his local government. By law, he is under his local government chairman,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Ooni’s spokesperson, Moses Olafare, dismissed the Alaafin’s ultimatum as an “empty threat,” while the Alaafin’s media aide, Bode Durojaiye, later clarified that the monarch was not seeking supremacy over other rulers but was acting to safeguard Yoruba tradition.