The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, has given the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, 48 hours to withdraw the Okanlomo of Yorubaland title he bestowed on Oyo-based businessman, Dotun Sanusi, popularly known as Ilaji.
Spokesperson for the Alaafin, Bode Durojaiye, in a statement on Monday, said the conferment of any chieftaincy title in Yorubaland is his duty, and not that of the Ooni, citing a Supreme Court judgment to back his claim.
The Alaafin, in the statement, said, “The attention of 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.”
He described the Ooni’s action as “an affront to the referred institution of the Alaafin, who is the Titan of Yorubaland, and on whom holds exclusive right to confer any chieftaincy title which covers the entire Yorubaland on anyone”.
He said, “The Ooni of Ife is behaving as if there is no authority to check and call him to order and because of that ‘above the law’ syndrome of his, he is in the habit of walking on everybody’s’ back including the apex court in the country, the Supreme Court, which had ruled on the exclusive preserve of the Alaafin to confer chieftaincy title that covers the entire Yorubaland on anyone.”
Noting that the Ooni’s instrument of office limits his traditional powers to the Oranmiyan council area, which has been divided into Ife Central, Ife North, and Ife South, making the conferment null and void, the Alaafin warned that he shouldn’t mistake his peace efforts for weakness.
“The dictum that nobody is above the law of the land is now being put to a crucial test and 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 warned.
