The old supremacy battle between Ooni of Ife and Alaafin of Oyo don happen again, this time na who get power to give the title “Okanlomo of Yorubaland.”
Wahala start after Ooni, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, give the title to Ibadan businessman, Chief Dotun Sanusi. Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, no gree, him palace issue 48-hour ultimatum say Ooni must revoke the title.
Alaafin camp insist say only Alaafin get authority to give pan-Yoruba chieftaincy titles, claim say Supreme Court ruling and Ooni instrument of office limit him power to Ile-Ife.
But Ooni side dismiss the threat, call am “empty ultimatum,” and say dem no go argue further, leave am for “court of public opinion.”
Deep-Rooted Rivalry
This clash remind people of the long wahala between late Alaafin Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III and late Ooni Oba Okunade Sijuwade for the 1990s, when both dey drag supremacy and pan-Yoruba titles.
The matter dey rooted for history:
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Ife: seen as spiritual cradle of Yoruba, with Ooni as custodian of Oduduwa legacy.
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Oyo: claim power from the political and military dominance of old Oyo Empire wey stretch reach today Togo and Benin.
The “Okanlomo of Yorubaland” title, meaning “the one dear to all Yorubas,” don revive the big question again: Who really dey speak for the whole Yoruba nation, Ooni or Alaafin?
