By Ghazali Ibrahim
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has opted to remain silent over the 48-hour ultimatum issued by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, demanding the revocation of a chieftaincy title recently conferred on Ibadan-based businessman, Dotun Sanusi.
Moses Olafare, spokesperson for the Ooni, in a Facebook post on Tuesday, disclosed that the monarch had instructed him to ignore the ultimatum.
He described the Alaafin’s demand as “undignifyable” and unworthy of an official response.
“My principal has directed me against issuing a press release on the empty threat. I beg to disappoint you, gentlemen of the press,” Olafare wrote.
“We cannot dignify the undignifyable with an official response. We leave the matter to be handled in the public court of opinion, as it is already being treated. Let’s rather focus on narratives that unite us rather than the ones capable of dividing us. No press release, please. 48 hours my foot!”
The controversy erupted after the Ooni, at the weekend, conferred the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on Engineer Dotun Sanusi, a prominent Ibadan business mogul, during the unveiling of 2geda, an indigenous social media platform.
Earlier, the Alaafin of Oyo had described the Ooni’s action as an “affront” and a direct challenge to his authority.
He insisted that only the Alaafin reserves the right to confer Yoruba-wide chieftaincy titles, citing a Supreme Court ruling in support of his claim.
“The conferment of a Yoruba-wide chieftaincy title by the Ooni is not only ultra vires but an insult to the Titan of Yorubaland. The Supreme Court itself has ruled that only the Alaafin has such authority. Yet, the Ooni continues to act above the law, trampling on both tradition and the courts,” Oba Owoade stated.
As the two foremost monarchs in Yorubaland remain at loggerheads, the development has sparked heated debate across the Southwest, with many observers warning of the potential implications for unity among the Yoruba traditional institutions.
