The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has dismissed a 48-hour ultimatum issued by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, demanding the withdrawal of a chieftaincy title recently conferred on Ibadan businessman, Engineer Dotun Sanusi.
The Alaafin had insisted that the Ooni revoke the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland awarded to Sanusi, citing a Supreme Court judgment which, he argued, affirmed Oyo’s exclusive authority to confer Yoruba-wide honours. He warned that “consequences” would follow if the directive was ignored.
Responding on Tuesday, the Ooni’s spokesman, Moses Olafare, said the monarch would not dignify the ultimatum, describing it as “an empty threat.” In a post on Facebook, Olafare wrote that the matter had already been submitted to the “court of public opinion,” adding, “48 hours my foot.”
The disagreement has revived memories of past disputes between the two traditional stools, including a 1991 confrontation between the late Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, and the late Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuade, over the conferment of titles on prominent Nigerians.
Analysts have expressed concern that the renewed exchange could heighten tensions between the two historic Yoruba thrones.
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