Irked by the allegation that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, conferred a chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on a business mogul, Dotun Sanusi, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, slammed the Ooni and urged him to withdraw the title or face consequences.
In a statement by the Alaafin issued through his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, on Tuesday in Ibadan, he accused the Ooni of Ife of serially overstepping his bounds and going out of jurisdiction to confer titles without his consent as the Alaafin of Oyo, who has authority over the entire Yorubaland.
In a well-tensed statement, the Alaafin advised Ooni not to take his interest in peace across Yorubaland for weakness, as he remains the Titan of Yorubaland.
Part of Alaafin’s statement read: “The attention of the Alaafin of Oyo and the Titan of Yorubaland, Oba Engineer Abimbola Akeem 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 Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
“The conferment of chieftaincy title which belongs to 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 who 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 Exclusive 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, nd Ife South”
Reacting to the allegation, the Oore of Moba, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adekunle Adeagbo, denied that the Ooni of Ife conferred a chieftaincy title on Dotun, a prominent Ibadan-based business tycoon, while he challenged anyone with evidence to prove otherwise.
In his statement to counter the allegation, Oba Adeagbo took the Alaafin down the history lane to make him realize that the Ooni is the head of Oduduwa which transcend Yorubaland to the entire African continent, arguing that conferring a chieftaincy title was the lowest and petty royal activities the Ooni should carry out, hence, the Ooni was busy with other serious activities to advance the nation of Yoruba people across African countries.
In the reaction that was obtained in Abuja, King Adeagbo rolled out the achievements of the Ooni of Ife to prove his commitment to the advancement of the Yoruba Kingdom.
The statement read: “The attention of the Adimula Oloore Oodua, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adekunle Adeagbo, the Oore of Otun-Ekiti and paramount ruler of Mobaland House on the media attack by the Alaafin’s palace on the House of Odùduwà, which transcends beyond the shores of Yorubaland into the wider African space, cutting across the Itsekiri in Delta State, Benin Kingdom, Ga tribe in Accra Ghana, Ashante Kingdom of Kumasi, Ghana as well as the Luo tribe in Uganda, Ga-Adangbe tribe in Ghana, and many more, in which the Arole Odùduwà Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, D.Litt, CFR, Ojaja II, that Ooni does not have the power to confer the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Ooni has never conceived it, let alone installing anybody as the Okanlomo of Yorubaland. We therefore challenge anyone with verifiable evidence that Ooni has traditionally or culturally installed such a title on anyone to present it to the public.
“It is important to note that as the Natural Father of the Yoruba race and spiritual head of Odùduwà race worldwide, the Ooni wields unequivocal authority to bestow titles of territorial relevance if and when necessary.
“However, His Majesty’s vision and preoccupation are far greater than minor chieftaincy titles. His focus rests on the larger task of unifying our people across Nigeria and Africa who trace their origin to Ilé-Ifẹ̀ for peace, progress, and development that far transcend such narrow contestations.
“Since ascending the throne of Odùduwà, Ooni has carried out only three official territorial chieftaincy installations, namely: The Odole Oodua, Iyalaje OODUA, and Yeye Oodua, all deeply rooted in spiritual and ancestral imperatives, which Baba Ooni had bestowed on Sir Dr Adebutu Kensington, Princess Dr Toyin KOLADE, and Erelu Abiola Dosumu, respectively.
“Our father Ooni, revered not merely as a king but as a deity across the Oduduwa race of which Yoruba is a notable section, does not distribute titles frivolously. Apart from the proposed Ojaja Smart City, Ibadan, the biggest in Africa which will provide not less than 20000 jobs, Ooni has already established Inagbe Grand Resort in Lagos, Ife Grand Resort and Industrial Hub in Ile-Ife, Ojaja University in Ilorin, Kwara state, Ojajamoore and Ojaja Park and Hotels in Akure, OjajaMoore in Ede, Ile-Ife, and Osogbo in Osun creating over 5000 direct jobs for Yoruba youths. He is also constructing a massive Ojaja Park in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State. That is leadership.
“We must put a clear end to the fruitless struggle for emperorship; an idea long eroded by constitutional democracy. Where are the great empires of Shongai, Mali of Mansa Musa, Roman empires, Ottoman empires, and others today?
“Those eras of conquering territories through invasion by guerrillaism are gone. If anyone must wage war over territorial rights, let it be with colonialists who had taken the absolute powers of monarchies and emperors and replaced them with what they called constitutional governments, not only in Nigeria but globally, and not with Oonirìnsà, who has always stood for unity and progress.
“The descendants of Oduduwa, home and in diaspora, know their natural father, and they know where they all migrated from; hence, there is no contestation over Ooni’s place as the Arole Odùduwà.
“Leadership is never by forceful enthronement nor by empty threats, but by service, wisdom, and natural acceptability. Look at the way Ooni travels around, showcasing the Africanist substance, and how he creates businesses scattered across Yorubaland, providing jobs for our youths. That is leadership!
“We advise the public and right-thinking members of society to demand clarity on the referenced Supreme Court judgment being mischievously cited, to know exactly who and what it referred to, so as not to rope Ooni into matters that have no bearing on his sacred stool. Or doesn’t he have the right to appoint Dotun Sanusi as Okanlomo Oodua?
“In this 21st century where royal fathers across the world are strategizing on how to attract investments, foster unity, and build sustainable development in their domains, reducing the sacred institution of kingship to petty quarrels over minor titles is not and will never be on Ooni’s table. He is well above that.
“The House of Odùduwà remains committed to peace, unity, and prosperity across Yorubaland and beyond.”