Alaafin claims historical primacy among Yoruba monarchs amid council rot controversy

By Adejayan Gbenga

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, has declared that his throne occupies the foremost position among traditional institutions in Yorubaland, insisting that he does not engage in supremacy battles with other monarchs.

Speaking during an interview with Edmund Obilo on State Affairs published on Friday, the royal father explained that his standing rests firmly on historical records and the vast contributions of the ancient Oyo Empire to Yoruba civilisation.

His remarks follow heightened public attention over a friction with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, regarding the conferment of the Okanlomo of Yorubaland title on businessman Dotun Sanusi.

The monarch had previously challenged the Ooni’s action as an abuse of authority, describing the chieftaincy conferment as an affront to his institution and a violation of traditional customs.

Dismissing any notion of an ongoing contest for traditional dominance, Oba Owoade affirmed that historical facts already settle the question of seniority without the need for active rivalry.

Turning to state affairs, the monarch declined to comment on Governor Seyi Makinde’s appointment of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, as chairman of the reconstituted Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.

The council’s leadership restructuring follows a 2025 legislative amendment that ended the Alaafin’s permanent chairmanship in favour of a rotational arrangement, an inauguration from which Oba Owoade was conspicuously absent.

Looking ahead, the royal father announced plans for the maiden edition of Oyo Empire Day in Oyo town this December, an event expected to draw over 40,000 visitors to celebrate the heritage of the ancient empire.