The Director of Media and Public Affairs, Ooni’s Palace, Otunba Moses Olafare, has said there will be no official response to a statement credited to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, demanding the revocation of the Ooni of Ife’s conferment of the title Okanlomo of Yorubaland on Ibadan business mogul, Chief Jubril Dotun Sanusi.
The Alaafin, in a press release signed by his media aide, Bode Durojaiye, described the conferment as “an affront” to the institution of the Alaafin, claiming that only the Alaafin holds exclusive rights to bestow chieftaincy titles that cover the entirety of Yorubaland. The statement gave the Ooni 48 hours to withdraw the title or face unspecified consequences.
In the press release, the Alaafin argued that the Ooni’s authority, as outlined in his instrument of office, is limited to the Ife axis comprising Ife Central, Ife North, and Ife South Local Governments. He further accused the Ooni of taking unilateral decisions, “walking on everybody’s back,” and misconstruing his peace initiatives across Yorubaland.
Reacting via a Facebook post, Otunba Olafare dismissed the ultimatum as an “empty threat,” stressing that the Ooni’s Palace would not dignify it with an official rejoinder.
Olafare stressed that the matter has already been left to public opinion, insisting that the palace would rather focus on issues that foster unity than engage in divisive narratives.
“My Principal has directed me not to issue a press release on the empty threat of the Alawada Babasala. I beg to disappoint you, gentlemen of the press: we cannot dignify the undignifiable 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 those capable of dividing us. No press release, please 🙏🏻. ‘48 hours,’ my foot!!!”
The Ooni had conferred the Okanlomo of Yorubaland title on Chief Sanusi during a special broadcast on Ilaji 91.9 FM in Ibadan, where he also extolled the businessman’s contributions to Yoruba culture and heritage promotion through the establishment of Ilaji Radio.
The monarch, in the same programme, reaffirmed that Oduduwa, the first Ooni of Ife, was “the very first crowned king in the world,” describing Ile-Ife as the cradle of global kingship.