Abuja meeting: Alaafin’s palace demands apology from Ooni of Ife

By Adejayan Gbenga –

The media team of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, has demanded an unreserved apology from the Ooni of Ife’s palace over what it described as a mockery of the revered Alaafin institution following their meeting in Abuja on Saturday.

This was contained in a statement by the Alaafin’s Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, issued on Tuesday in response to comments from Otunba Moses Olafare, spokesperson for the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.

Olafare had criticised an Oyo-based social media platform, The Oyo Legacies, allegedly linked to the Alaafin’s media team, for posting a doctored video suggesting that the Alaafin refused to greet the Ooni during the West Africa Economic Summit at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja.

He also called for the overhaul of the Alaafin’s media team, claiming they lacked training in media ethics and proper image management, describing them as needing to be “rejigged.”

Reacting, Durojaiye described Olafare’s remarks as insulting and derogatory, saying it was unbecoming of the Ooni’s palace to ridicule the Alaafin’s institution by questioning the competence of his media team.

Durojaiye defended the professionalism of the Alaafin’s media team, insisting it is made up of highly skilled and experienced individuals.

He explained that the VIP room seating at the summit was unassigned, and upon the Alaafin’s arrival, the Ooni stood up, greeted him warmly, and both monarchs exchanged pleasantries before the Alaafin took a seat beside the Obong of Calabar, who was already seated next to the Ooni.

Durojaiye stressed that the Alaafin’s palace considers the disparaging comments from the Ooni’s camp as an affront to the dignity of the Alaafin’s institution and is therefore demanding an unreserved apology to rectify the damage caused.