A former aide to the late Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, Doyin Odebowale, has slammed the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, over his demand that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, revoke a chieftaincy title recently conferred on Ibadan businessman Dotun Sanusi.
Odebowale, while speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, insisted that traditional rulers cannot legislate beyond their local domains and therefore the Alaafin had no authority to dictate to the Ooni.
“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,” Odebowale stated.
Alaafin’s Ultimatum To Ooni
The row began after the Ooni of Ife conferred the title of “Okanlomo of Yorubaland” on Sanusi at a ceremony in Ibadan. The Alaafin quickly issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding that the Ooni reverse the decision, claiming only his throne has authority to bestow titles covering the entire Yoruba land. He further cited a Supreme Court judgment to back his position.
But the Ooni’s spokesperson, Moses Olafare, dismissed the ultimatum, describing it as an “empty threat.” He wrote on Facebook: “We cannot dignify the undignifiable with an official response. We leave the matter to be handled in the public court of opinion.”
Role Of Monarchs
Odebowale, however, described the Alaafin’s actions as a “distraction,” saying the monarch had likely been misled into thinking a jurisdictional dispute existed with the Ooni. He argued that colonial policies had long reduced empires to mere stools, stripping monarchs of their powers.
“It is a very pathetic situation in the sense that most of those who parade themselves as traditional rulers do not even know their function. It appears to me that they are in a hurry to discard tradition,” he lamented, adding that many Obas now combine their titles with religious positions and political affiliations, eroding cultural values.
He stressed that under Oyo State chieftaincy law, only four Obas are formally recognised as imperial majesties, and the Alaafin’s powers do not extend beyond his local government jurisdiction.
Yoruba Tradition Under Scrutiny
The altercation between the Alaafin and the Ooni has once again highlighted the deep cracks in Yoruba traditional institutions. While the Alaafin insists he is only defending the sanctity of tradition, his critics, like Odebowale, maintain that monarchs must accept the legal and political realities that confine their powers. By openly faulting the Alaafin’s position, the ex-Akeredolu aide has thrown a controversial spotlight on the tussle for supremacy among Yoruba kings.
