Reasons Why Alaafin Gave Ooni 48 Hours To Revoke Okanlomo Chieftaincy Title

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, demanding the withdrawal of the chieftaincy title of “Okanlomo of Yorubaland” recently bestowed on Ibadan businessman Dotun Sanusi.

In a statement released in Ibadan by his media aide, Bode Durojaiye, the Alaafin argued that only his office holds the authority to confer titles that extend across the entire Yoruba region.

He described the Ooni’s action as a direct challenge to his institution, stressing that the Ooni’s authority is traditionally restricted to Ife and its surrounding local government areas.

Oba Owoade recalled that the Supreme Court had previously ruled that the exclusive right to grant Yoruba-wide titles rests with the Alaafin.

He accused the Ooni of acting beyond his jurisdiction and behaving as though no authority could restrain him.

The Alaafin emphasized that his ongoing campaign for unity across Yorubaland is built on mutual respect and adherence to tradition.

He warned that failure by the Ooni to revoke the title within 48 hours would attract serious consequences.

The statement reads, “The attention of the Alaafin of Oyo and the Titan of Yorubaland, Oba Owoade 1, has been drawn to the purported conferment of chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on a business tycoon, Dotun Sanusi, by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi.

“The conferment of chieftaincy title, which bothers on Yorubaland by the Ooni of Ife, is not only an affront to the referred institution of the Alaafin, who is the Titan of Yorubaland and on whom holds the exclusive right to confer any chieftaincy title which covers the entire Yorubaland on anyone.

“The Ooni of Ife is behaving as if there is no authority to check and call him to order and because of that ‘above the law’ syndrome of his, he is in the habit of walking on everybody’s’ back including the apex court in the country, the Supreme Court, which had ruled on the 3xclusive preserve of the Alaafin to confer chieftaincy title that covers the entire Yorubaland on anyone.

“The instrument of office presented to Oba Ogunwusi, during his installation, specifically limits his traditional area of authority to Oranmiyan Local Government, which has now been split into three Local Governments, viz: Ife Central, Ife North and Ife South.

”The dictum that nobody is above the law of the land is now being put to a crucial test and the reality of our time makes it very obligatory for the Alaafin to call the Ooni of Ife to order and demand revocation of the so-called Okanlomo of Yorubaland chieftaincy title conferred on Sanusi within 48 hours or face the consequences.”

KanyiDaily recalls that Oba Abimbola Owoade was recently crowned as the 46th Alaafin of Oyo, taking over from Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who died on April 22, 2022, at the age of 83.