Yoruba Elders Step In as Alaafin–Ooni Feud Deepens

Prominent Yoruba elders and leaders have moved to douse rising tension between the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, after a fresh dispute broke out between the two foremost monarchs.

The latest disagreement began on Monday when the Alaafin faulted the Ooni’s decision to confer the title of *Okanlomo of Yorubaland* on businessman Chief Dotun Sanusi during the unveiling of 2geda, an indigenous social media and business networking platform in Ibadan. Through a statement by his aide, Bode Durojaiye, the Alaafin insisted no ruler besides him has the authority to bestow a pan-Yoruba title and gave the Ooni 48 hours to revoke it or “face the consequences.”

The Ooni’s spokesperson, Moses Olafare, dismissed the threat, describing it as undeserving of an official response. “We cannot dignify the undignifyable. Let’s focus on unity rather than division. 48 hours my foot!” he wrote.

The clash follows months of subtle public hostilities. In May, the Alaafin drew attention when he refused to rise to greet the Ooni at an event hosted by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, and in June, both rulers avoided each other at the West African Economic Summit in Abuja. While their palaces have denied rifts, repeated incidents have stirred concern across Yorubaland.

The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, said on Tuesday that he had begun consulting Yoruba leaders to mediate between the monarchs. “It is an issue between two fathers. We must find a way to resolve it amicably. We don’t want to open old wounds in public,” he said, stressing the need for unity at a critical time.

The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) also urged restraint. Its Secretary-General, Oladipo Oyewole, warned that actions beyond the *Omoluabi ethos* must be avoided and called on the governments of Oyo and Osun States to urgently intervene.

Ifa scholar and elder statesman, Prof. Wande Abimbola, called for calm, revealing that discreet efforts were underway to bring the monarchs together. “Elders don’t assign blame in the media,” he said. “Our obas are fathers to us all; they must not be seen quarrelling.”

In Ibadan, the Mogajis and the Ibadan Compound Peace Initiative condemned the Alaafin’s ultimatum, describing it as divisive and an attack on Sanusi, a respected Olubadan chief. They warned that Ibadan people would resist any attempt to undermine their pride.

The pan-Yoruba socio-political group Afenifere, meanwhile, threw its weight behind the Ooni. Organising Secretary, Abagun Omololu, traced colonial records that recognised the Ooni as spiritual head of the Yoruba nation while limiting the Alaafin’s authority to Oyo Province. “Temporal might does not equate to cultural primacy,” he said.

Supporting this view, legal practitioner Pelumi Olajengbesi argued that no law or court ruling grants the Alaafin exclusive authority over pan-Yoruba titles. He said Ile-Ife, as the cradle of Yoruba civilisation, affirms the Ooni’s legitimacy. “The Ooni has acted within history and culture. He remains the ancestral father of the Yoruba nation,” he said.

While some monarchs contacted declined comment, Yoruba leaders across political, cultural, and academic circles are pushing for dialogue to prevent the feud from escalating further.