*His Territories Go Beyond Yorubaland, He Says
By Stephen Gbadamosi, Ibadan
Leaders in Yorubaland have been wading into the reported feud between the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, Elewu Etu 1; and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, over right to confer chieftaincy titles in Yorubaland, South-West Nigeria.
The latest of such came from revered traditional ruler, the Oore of Mobaland, Oba Adekunle Adeagbo, who said the Ooni had not overreached his bounds.
Recall that a statement from the palace of the Alaafin, purportedly signed by his media aide, Bode Durojaye, on Monday, issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Ooni Ogunwusi to reverse a title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland reportedly conferred on prominent Ibadan business mogul, Chief Dotun Sanusi, failure of which consequences would follow.
A counter statement from the Ooni’s palace on Tuesday had declared the threat as empty.
Signed by Ooni’s media aide, Chief Moses Olafare, the statement made a non-issue of the Oyo palace threat.
Passions had since been inflamed since the development with notable Yoruba leaders calling for caution.
But Oba Adeagbo, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Akogun Banjo Ayinde, backed the Ooni in the conflict, saying he was in order.
“The attention of the Adimula Oloore Oodua, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adekunle Adeagbo, the Oore of Otun-Ekiti and paramount ruler of Mobaland, has been drawn to the media attack by the Alaafin’s palace on the House of Odùduwà, which transcends beyond the shores of Yorubaland into the wider African space, cutting across the Itsekiri in Delta State, Benin Kingdom, Ga tribe in Accra Ghana, Ashante Kingdom of Kumasi, Ghana as well as the Luo tribe in Uganda, Ga-Adangbe tribe in Ghana, and many more.
“It’s said that the Arole Odùduwà Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, the Ooni, does not have the power to confer the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Ooni has never conceived it, talk less of installing anybody as the Okanlomo of Yorubaland.
“We, therefore, challenge anyone with verifiable evidence that Ooni has traditionally or culturally installed such a title on anyone to present it to the public.
“It is important to note that as the natural father of the Yoruba race and spiritual head of Odùduwà race worldwide, the Ooni wields unequivocal authority to bestow titles of territorial relevance if and when necessary.
“However, His Majesty’s vision and preoccupation are far greater than minor chieftaincy titles. His focus rests on the larger task of unifying our people across Nigeria and Africa who trace their origin to Ilé-Ifẹ̀ for peace, progress, and development that far transcend such narrow contestations.
“Since ascending the throne of Odùduwà, Ooni has carried out only three official territorial chieftaincy installations namely, the Odole Oodua, Iyalaje Oodua and Yeye Oodua, all deeply rooted in spiritual and ancestral imperatives, which Baba Ooni had bestowed on Sir (Dr) Adebutu Kensington, Princess (Dr.) Toyin Kolade and Erelu Abiola Dosumu, respectively.
“Our father, Ooni, revered not merely as a king, but also as a deity across the Oduduwa race, of which Yoruba is a notable section, does not distribute titles frivolously.
“Apart from the proposed Ojaja Smart City, Ibadan, the biggest in Africa, which will provide not less than 20,000 jobs, Ooni has already established Inagbe Grand Resort in Lagos, Ife Grand Resort and Industrial Hub in Ile-Ife, Ojaja University in Ilorin, Kwara state, Ojajamoore and Ojaja Park and Hotels in Akure, Ojaja Moore in Ede, Ile-Ife and Osogbo in Osun, creating over 5,000 direct jobs for Yoruba youths. He is also constructing a massive Ojaja Park in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. That is leadership.
“We must put a clear end to the fruitless struggle for emperorship, an idea long eroded by constitutional democracy. Where are the great empires of Songhai, Mali of Mansa Musa, Roman empires, Ottoman empires and others today?
“Those eras of conquering territories through invasion by gorrilarism are gone. If anyone must wage war over territorial rights, let it be with colonialists who had taken the absolute powers of monarchies and emperors and replaced it with what they called constitutional governments, not only in Nigeria, but also globally and not with Oonirìnsà, who has always stood for unity and progress,” the statement read in part.
PHOTO CAPTION: Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi (left) and Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Owoade, at an event.
