Alaafin Gives Ooni Of Ife 48 Hours To Revoke Sanusi’s Chieftaincy Title

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, to revoke the Okanlomo of Yorubaland chieftaincy title reportedly conferred on Ibadan business mogul, Dotun Sanusi.

The ultimatum was contained in a statement signed by Bode Durojaiye, Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, on Monday.

“The reality of our time makes it very obligatory for the Alaafin to call the Ooni of Ife to order and demand revocation of the so-called Okanlomo of Yorubaland chieftaincy title conferred on Engineer Dotun Sanusi within 48 hours or face the consequences,” the statement read.

According to the Alaafin, only his throne reserves the right to confer any title that covers the entire Yorubaland.

*“The attention of the Alaafin of Oyo and the Titan of Yorubaland, Oba Engineer Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, 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 bothers on Yorubaland by the Ooni of Ife, is an affront to the revered 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 statement declared.

The Alaafin cited a Supreme Court ruling, which he said affirmed his stool as the only traditional authority empowered to bestow pan-Yoruba titles.

Don’t miss out on any real-time information. Join our WhatsApp group to stay updated.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN

The statement also argued that Oba Ogunwusi’s authority is restricted to Oranmiyan Local Government, now divided into Ife Central, Ife North, and Ife South.

“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,” the Alaafin’s media aide said.

As of press time, the palace of the Ooni of Ife had not issued an official response to the ultimatum.

The controversy has stirred debate across Yoruba land, with some traditional watchers noting that tussles over jurisdiction and cultural authority between major Yoruba monarchs have a long history, often resurfacing during high-profile chieftaincy appointments.