The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, has dismissed reports of a supremacy battle with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, or any other Yoruba monarch.
Oba Owoade, in a statement issued on Thursday by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, said he remained committed to the unity, welfare, and cultural preservation of the Yoruba people, not rivalry.
The rebuttal followed speculations of a fresh rift between the two foremost monarchs after Alaafin faulted the Ooni’s decision to confer the title of Okanlomo of Oduwa on businessman Dotun Sanusi at the unveiling of an indigenous social media platform in Ibadan last weekend.
Durojaiye explained that Alaafin Owoade’s reign is guided by service to his subjects, rooted in culture, tradition, and development. “Kabiyesi does not need to engage in any supremacy battle. His popularity and authority come from the prosperity, security, and well-being of his people,” the statement read.
Quoting Alexander Graham Bell on steady progress and perseverance, the statement described the Alaafin as “an indomitable monarch with unequalled passion for the great good of all.”
The palace also emphasized the historical significance of Oyo in Yoruba civilisation, recalling its status as the largest empire in precolonial West Africa and the British recognition of the Alaafin as the superior head of the Yoruba nation during the colonial era.
“The Alaafin is a veritable custodian of Yoruba heritage, combining humility with royalty to meet modern-day demands. He was inducted into the mysteries of Ifa, Sango, and other deities to be their direct representative on earth,” the statement added.
It concluded that Oba Owoade’s leadership is anchored on the sacred covenant with Yoruba ancestors to defend and promote the norms, traditions, and values of the people, stressing that the monarch has no interest in personal supremacy but in the collective dignity of Yorubaland.
