Deborah Akinyosoye
The Ooni of Ife’s spokesperson, Mr Moses Olafare, yesterday, described the 48-hour ultimatum issued by Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, to Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, to withdraw the Okanlomo of Yorubaland title conferred on a business mogul as “an empty threat from a dead empire.”
Recall that the Alaafin of Oyo had warned the Ooni of Ife to withdraw the recent chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland conferred on an Ibadan-based businessman, Chief Dotun Sanusi.
The Alaafin described the action of the Ooni as a direct affront to his authority and the traditional institution he represents.
The Oyo monarch emphasised that he has the exclusive right to confer chieftaincy titles that encompass all of Yorubaland, a right affirmed by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Reacting to the threat on his social media page, WhatsApp, the Ooni’s spokesperson described those who issued the threat as “jokers.”
He said the Ooni is busy creating jobs for the teeming youths of the South West, while some persons were fighting a supremacy battle through an expired empire.
He said: “The Ooni is busy setting up businesses and creating jobs for youths across Yorubaland, they are busy fighting supremacy that does not exist. Dead empire.
“Their 48-hour ultimatum will soon lapse. We are waiting. Dead Empire. Ooni plans for the groundbreaking and launching of the Ojaja smart city in Ibadan, the biggest in Africa, someone is somewhere busy issuing 48 hours empty threats.
“Where does this king (Ooni) have time for supremacy hullabaloo? Issuing 48-hour ultimatum over a Chieftaincy title that doesn’t even exist.”
Moba monarch speaks on alleged Chieftaincy title conferment
Meanwhile, the Oore of Otun-Ekiti and paramount ruler of Mobaland, Oba Adekunle Adeagbo, yesterday, dismissed the claims that the Ooni of Ife conferred the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on anyone.
The Oore of Moba, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Akogun Banjo Ayinde, clarified that there is no evidence to suggest that the Ooni ever conceived or installed anyone as the Okanlomo of Yorubaland.
The statement comes amid the media attack by the Alaafin on Ooni, which the Oore of Moba described as unfounded and lacks merit.
The statement reads: “For the avoidance of doubt, the 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 the Oduduwa race worldwide, the Ooni wields unequivocal authority to bestow titles of territorial relevance if and when necessary.”