48 Hours My Foot Ooni Of Ife’s Spokesperson Reacts To Alaafin’s Threat

Ooni of Ife vs Alaafin of Oyo supremacy clash reignites as the 48-hour ultimatum sparks heated reactions across Yorubaland.

Fresh tension is unfolding in Yorubaland as the long-standing rivalry between two of its most revered monarchs — the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade — takes a new and dramatic turn. The conflict stems from a chieftaincy title recently conferred by the Ooni, which has triggered a strong response from the Alaafin’s palace.

The Source of the Dispute

The Ooni of Ife had recently honoured Ibadan-based businessman and philanthropist, Chief Dotun Sanusi, with the title of “Okanlomo of Yorubaland.” Sanusi, the owner of Ilaji Hotels and Resorts, is widely recognized for his investments and contributions to development in Oyo State and beyond.

However, this decision did not sit well with the newly installed Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, who was crowned in January 2025 as the 46th Alaafin. In a strongly worded statement, the Alaafin accused the Ooni of overstepping his bounds and issued a 48-hour ultimatum, demanding that the title be revoked... Read complete content click link below

Alaafin’s Position The Alaafin maintained that, by Yoruba tradition and history, only the Alaafin of Oyo possesses the exclusive authority to bestow chieftaincy titles with a pan-Yoruba reach. He described the Ooni’s act as an “affront” and a breach of Yoruba custom. His office even cited a Supreme Court ruling and the Ooni’s instrument of office, which allegedly restricts the Ooni’s jurisdiction to Ife and its environs.

Ooni’s Camp Responds But the Ooni’s spokesperson, Moses Olafare, dismissed the ultimatum as an “empty threat.” In a post shared via his Facebook handle, Olafare said his principal had instructed against issuing any formal press release on the matter. Instead, he noted that the issue would be left for the “public court of opinion.”