Social media went agog on Monday evening after the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, gave the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, a 48-hour ultimatum to revoke the Okanlomo of Yorubaland chieftaincy title recently conferred on Ibadan business tycoon, Dotun Sanusi.
The warning emphasised a long-standing rivalry between the two stools and revered Yoruba monarchs over supremacy and traditional jurisdiction.
Although the Ooni of Ife had directed his aide to refrain from issuing a press statement in reply to the respected Oyo monarch.
He, however, said he was leaving the matter to be handled in the public court of opinion, as it is already being treated.
Following this outburst by the Alaafin, PUNCH Online has referenced a similar chieftaincy title discord between the monarchs’ predecessors, the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, during the conferment of Akinrogun of Yorubaland on the then national chairman of the National Republican Convention, Chief Tom Ikimi, on February 9, 1991. Excerpt below:
Alaafin warns Ikimi over Ooni’s title award
The then Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, warned the National Chairman of the National Republican Convention, Chief Tom Ikimi, against accepting the chieftaincy title of Akinrogun of Yorubaland from the then Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade.
Oba Adeyemi stated in a letter addressed to Ikimi, a copy of which was distributed to newsmen in Ibadan in 1991, that the title was spurious and lacked a historical foundation.
He explained that his objection to the conferment and acceptance of the title was not meant to slight the NRC leader, but to prevent Ikimi from being made “a laughing stock”.
“Your responsibility as the leader of a national political party appeared to me very important than being dragged into the murky water of ego-boosting”, Oba Adeyemi stated.
While arguing that the title was meaningless, he stressed that it would be advisable for Ikimi to “tread the path of honour” by refusing to accept the title.
The Alaafin maintained that the Ooni has no historical, traditional, political and military power outside his domain to enable him to fabricate meaningless chieftaincy titles with the tag of “Yorubaland”.
Chieftaincy title discord: Governor Adisa stops Ooni
The then Oyo State Governor, Colonel AbdulKareem Adisa, told Oba Sijuwade not to confer the chieftaincy title on Ikimi.
Speaking during an emergency meeting with the traditional rulers in the state, the governor instructed them that they must submit proposals for conferment of any Yoruba title on any person to his office for vetting.
This measure, he said, would ensure orderliness and remove unnecessary acrimony on traditional matters in the state.
Speaking in Ibadan at the emergency meeting he summoned with the traditional rulers, Adisa noted that the chairmanship tussle among the Obas had already generated enough tension.
“Akinrogun title is likely to add to the crisis if unchecked,” he said.
Quoting a legal maxim to buttress his point, Adisa, who said that “no one gives what he did not possess,” pointed out that it was on the basis of peace that he was instructing the Ooni not to proceed with his intention to confer the title.
He said this was the time to reduce the tension generated by the chairmanship tussle and the threat to peace during the transition period.
The governor appealed to the parties to the dispute to withdraw the court case and allow the government to resolve the issue amicably.
Adisa, however, described the crises that follow the succession to vacant stools in the state as shameful and pointed out that the chairmanship tussle itself left much to be desired.
Ceremony to go ahead — Ooni
Oba Sijuwade, however, insisted that he would proceed with the conferment despite the governor’s directive.
A press statement from the Ooni’s palace, barely three hours after the governor’s directive, said Ikimi would be conferred with the title.
The statement signed by Ooni’s second in command, Chief S. F. Omisakin, said the letter written by the Oba to Ikimi read that he (Ikimi) would be conferred with the title of Akinrogun of Ife.
He maintained that the letter said Ikimi would be conferred with “Akinrogun from the source (lle-Ife)” and wondered where the Alaafin got his own version of Akinrogun of Yorubaland.
“It should be clearly understood that Alaafin was just bringing personal animosity of a wounded lion into an issue that is outside his domain; I wish to remind Alaafin that he got his sword of office from lle-ife, the source and the cradle of the Yoruba race, thus he has no right to challenge whatever Doni does,” Omisakin said.
Another statement signed by the Ooni’s Public Relations Manager, Mr. Funmilola Olorunnisola, said, “The chieftaincy title ceremony scheduled for Saturday, 9th March 1991, at the palace grounds in Ile-Ife will be held as planned.
“The Ooni and Oluaye of Ife, Alaiyeluwa Oba Sijuwade will confer honorary titles on a few prominent Nigerian citizens, including, Chief Ikimi, a reputable architect, and, politician, Mrs., Tokunbo Awolowo Dosunmu, a medical doctor, politician and daughter of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Tola Adeniyi, a director general in the presidency.”
Oyo govt backs Ooni
The Oyo State Government, on March 9, 1991, later gave the Ooni of Ife the “go-ahead” to confer the title of Akinrogun of Ile-Ife on Ikimi.
The Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Mr. Simbo Abioye, stated in a press release that the state government has no intention of intervening in the conferment of chieftaincy titles as long as the titles are limited to those competent to be conferred by the Ooni and do not extend beyond his domain, Ile-Ife.
“The state government has no intention to interfere in the conferment of chieftaincy titles on prominent individuals by traditional rulers,” the government stated.
The release stressed that the position of the government on the issue was made clear by the state governor, Col. Adisa, during his address to the Traditional Council of Obas and Chiefs at the last meeting.
I can dethrone Alaafin — Ooni
The Ooni of Ife at the conferment ceremony declared that he had the power to withdraw the crown from the head of Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Adeyemi.
Oba Sijuwade accused the Oyo State Government of “wrongful intervention” in the award of the chieftaincy title to Ikimi.
In his three-paragraph speech, Oba Sijuwade said, “The governemnt of Oyo State may not know that the crown on the Alaafin of Oyo’s head which qualifies him to be a traditional ruler, was given to him by the Ooni of Ife and you may not know that I can withdraw his crown and he will become an ordinary citizen of this country by evoking the special power conferred on me at the temple of Oduduwa.”
The Ooni was reacting to the order of the governor to stop the ceremony following a protest by Alaafin of Oyo that the Ooni had no power to confer the Akinrogun of Yorubaland.
The Ooni spoke on his sphere of influence at the ceremony saying, “No individual or council can query me, and I repeat, my power to create traditional rulership, which is even more than the granting of chieftaincy titles is universal and unique and no Yoruba council or individual can dispute it and this, you will find in the Federal Government Gazettes.”
Oba Sijuwade said that the Alaafin’s protest letter to the governor was not tenable “because my power to issue crowns, which is even greater than the awarding of chieftaincy titles, is universal and unique in Yorubaland and no individual or council can querry me.”
The Ooni said that it was his pleasure to confer titles on deserving Nigerians and friends from abroad and stressed, “We do not sell chieftaincy titles here and we do not demand gratification for whatever we do here and we will continue to maintain this tradition, which has been in existence for over 2,000 solid years.”
He then appealed to the Oyo State Government to always be sure of “the facts before making pronouncements, because the efforts of our dear Mr. President and the Federal Military Government should not be disturbed.
“This type of mistake which the Deputy Governor of Oyo State is trying to clarify this morning in some newspapers could bring peoples revolution, which must not happen during General Ibrahim Babangida’s administra-tion,” he said.
Alaafin dares Ooni to dethrone him
The Alaafin of Oyo, in return, dared the Ooni of Ife to carry out his threat to withdraw his crown within 48 hours.
Oba Adeyemi, who described the Ooni’s threat as “blasphemy of the year,” maintained that “certainly 1,000 Oonis put together cannot dethrone the Alaafin.”
According to him, it was unthinkable that Oba Sijuwade equated himself with God by arrogating to himself authority that belongs to God.
“It pleased God, the king of kings, the wish and determination of my people and well-meaning Nigerians to put me on the throne of my forefathers and it is to him, Allah that all powers and authority lie,” he said.
The Alaafin further stated that he would be compelled to reveal the historical truth to Ooni, namely that he is not the son of Oduduwa, if Ooni does not cease provoking him.
He continued that Ooni should go ahead and consult his “400 gods in his imaginary Oduduwa temple” to dethrone him, adding that “reality would dawn on him that paganism is a thing of the past in the palace of Alaafin of Oyo.”
In his 10-page rejoinder to the Ooni’s statement, the Alaafin explained that he wouldn’t have reacted to the outburst, but said he didn’t want Oba Sijuwade to go “scot-free” because the Ooni was guilty of consistent disregard for historical facts. (Punch)
