The Traffic

Alaafin vs Ooni: Stop inciting traditional rulers against one another, Elebuibon counsels Yoruba sons, daughters

The Araba Awo of Osogbo and foremost Ifa High Priest, Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon, has urged Yoruba sons and daughters to refrain from sowing discord among traditional rulers, stressing that unity and respect remain the bedrock of Yoruba culture and survival.

Elebuibon gave the counsel in Osogbo while reacting to the growing face-off between the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, over the recent conferment of the Okanlomo Odua title on Ibadan-based businessman and philanthropist, Chief Jubril Dotun Sanusi (JDS).

According to him, the Ooni of Ife holds a revered ancestral position as custodian of the source of the Yoruba people, and every other throne in Yorubaland flows from Ile-Ife.

“Ile-Ife is the source of the Yoruba race, and the Ooni’s throne gave birth to every other throne in Yorubaland. The issue of battle of supremacy ought not to have arisen at all. The relationship between Ooni and other traditional rulers is like that of father and child — and no child should disrespect the father,” Elebuibon said.

He cautioned Yoruba elites, politicians, and groups against fanning the embers of rivalry, adding that traditional and social media should focus on unity, cultural preservation, and heritage, rather than amplifying altercations between revered monarchs.

Heritage Claim over Okanlomo Odua

The controversy began after the Ooni of Ife conferred the title of Okanlomo Odua of Yorubaland on Chief Dotun Sanusi, a move the Alaafin rejected, insisting that only the Alaafin has the authority to bestow such a pan-Yoruba chieftaincy title.

The Alaafin, citing a Supreme Court judgment, issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Ooni to withdraw the title or face consequences. However, the Ooni’s palace dismissed the ultimatum as an “empty threat.”

Amid the brewing storm, the Oduduwa Descendants Worldwide, a Yoruba socio-cultural group, waded in, affirming that the prerogative to appoint Okanlomo Odua rests solely with the Ooni as the Arole Odua (heir of Oduduwa).

The group’s spokesman, Prince Segun Alade, said:

“The lineage of Oduduwa is clear. Only the Ooni can designate the Okanlomo Odua. Any claim otherwise distorts our heritage. The Okanlomo title is not just symbolic, it embodies the spirit and unity of the Yoruba people across Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo, Cuba, Brazil, the UK, the US, and the Caribbean.”

Call for Restraint

Observers fear that the dispute, if not carefully managed, could deepen cracks among Yoruba traditional rulers. Elebuibon, however, maintained that cultural wisdom demands restraint, dialogue, and the upholding of ancestral order.

“Our fathers handed us a legacy of respect for hierarchy. It is dangerous for children of Oduduwa to use monarchs for political or personal battles. The Yoruba nation needs unity more than ever,” he warned.

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna