Yoruba Elders Move to Quell Escalating Feud Between Alaafin and Ooni

Prominent Yoruba leaders and elders have stepped in to douse growing tension between the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, following renewed hostilities between the two foremost monarchs.

The latest dispute erupted after the Alaafin faulted the Ooni’s decision to confer the chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on businessman Chief Dotun Sanusi at an event in Ibadan last weekend.

In a statement by his media aide, Bode Durojaiye, the Alaafin insisted that no traditional ruler other than him had the authority to bestow a title covering the entire Yoruba nation, and demanded the revocation of the title within 48 hours.

Reacting, the Ooni’s spokesperson, Moses Olafare, dismissed the threat, saying the palace would not dignify the statement with a formal response. He urged focus on issues that unite rather than divide the Yoruba people.

The altercation adds to a string of recent incidents that have fuelled speculation of a rift between both monarchs, including viral videos showing them avoiding greetings at public events.

Amid growing concern, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, confirmed on Tuesday that he had initiated consultations with prominent Yoruba leaders to mediate between the two royal fathers. He stressed that unity must not be jeopardised, describing the Ooni and Alaafin as “two fathers” deserving of respect.

Similarly, the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) called on both monarchs to exercise restraint, urging the governments of Oyo and Osun states to intervene immediately. Secretary-General of the council, Oladipo Oyewole, warned that further escalation would undermine the Omoluwabi ethos of Yoruba culture.

Respected Ifa scholar and former OAU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Wande Abimbola, also appealed for calm, disclosing that efforts are underway to convene a meeting of Yoruba traditional rulers and elders across the region to resolve the crisis.

Meanwhile, the President of Ibadan Mogajis, Asimiyu Ariori, alongside the Ibadan Compound Peace Initiative, faulted the Alaafin’s ultimatum, describing it as provocative and divisive.

The pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, also weighed in, affirming the Ooni’s position as the spiritual head of Yorubaland. Its Organising Secretary, Abagun Omololu, traced the supremacy of the Ooni to history and cultural heritage, stressing that Ile-Ife remains the cradle of the Yoruba people.

A legal practitioner, Pelumi Olajengbesi, further argued that no legal instrument grants the Alaafin exclusive pan-Yoruba authority, insisting that the Ooni acted within his cultural and historical rights by honouring Sanusi.

As mediation efforts gather momentum, many Yoruba elders have expressed optimism that the long-running disagreements between the two palaces will soon be amicably resolved.