Ataoja, Oluwo clash over traditional rulers’ hierarchy

Olubadan holds top position among Oyo monarchs, not Alaafin, Oba Ajibade clarifies

A fresh dispute has unfolded among traditional rulers in Osun State, as the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun Oyetunji, has called for the reinstatement of what he describes as the rightful fourth position of the Ataoja stool in the Osun State Council of Obas, a ranking, he claims, was historically held by his throne but has since been displaced by the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi.

Oba Oyetunji made the assertion during a lecture at the Osun State University, Osogbo, which was part of the events to mark his 15th coronation anniversary.

According to the monarch, the Ataoja’s throne traditionally occupied the fourth position in the Council’s hierarchy before it was shifted during the reign of his predecessor, Oba Iyiola Oyewale Matanmi III.

He attributed the change in status to a period when Oba Matanmi was abroad, during which the Oluwo allegedly assumed the vacant fourth position, an event Oba Oyetunji claimed disrupted the traditional order.

The Ataoja emphasised that his push was not a personal attack on any monarch but an effort to restore historical integrity.

He noted that he had long remained silent on the issue but now feels compelled to take steps to reclaim the position.

However, in a swift response, the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, rejected the Ataoja’s claims, describing his argument as historically inaccurate.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Alli Ibraheem, Oba Akanbi stated: “Ataoja should note that the claim to seniority is not by chair. Oluwo is a natural paramount ruler with no history of Coronet.

“Ataoja is strongly advised to seek unadulterated history from great men and women of Osogbo, well-versed in the history of Osogbo and Yoruba by extension,” he said.

The palace insisted that the Oluwo remained a paramount ruler recognised historically and culturally, with authority over more than 35 installed kings, stressing that the throne’s status was not open to contention.

Relatedly, the Asipa Olubadan of Ibadanland-designate, Oba Hamidu Ajibade, has asserted that the Olubadan of Ibadanland holds the top position among all traditional rulers in Oyo State.

In a now-viral interview, Oba Ajibade dismissed the claims that the Alaafin of Oyo should automatically serve as the permanent Chairman of the state’s Council of Obas, highlighting Ibadan’s historical prominence in warfare and its longstanding influence across the state.

He emphasized that Ibadan occupies a leading role in the hierarchy of Oyo traditional stools and will continue to take precedence over other kingdoms.

Oba Ajibade also stressed that leadership in Ibadan focuses on the welfare and progress of its people, noting that the Olubadan-designate, Oba Rasidi Ladoja, is committed to promoting youth employment and curbing social decline in the city.(Guardian)