The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has snubbed the 48-hour ultimatum issued by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, over the controversial ‘Okanlomo of Yorubaland’ chieftaincy title.
Oba Ogunwusi recently conferred the title on the Ibadan-based businessman, Engineer Dotun Sanusi, aka Ilaji.
The Ooni through his spokesperson, Moses Olafare, on Tuesday dismissed the threat as “empty” and unworthy of an official response.
According to Olafare’s Facebook post, Oba Ogunwusi personally directed him to ignore Alaafin’s warning, insisting that the matter had already been subjected to the “court of public opinion.”
“My Principal has directed me against issuing a Press Release on the Empty Threat of the Alawada Babasala.
“I beg to disappoint you gentlemen of the press. We cannot dignify the undignifyable with an official response. We leave the matter to be handled in the public court of opinion has it is already being treated.
“Let’s rather focus on narratives that unite us rather than the ones capable of dividing us.
“No Press Release pls. 48 Hours My Foot!!!” Olafare said.
According to reports, the Alaafin had on Monday described the Ooni’s action as an “affront” and a direct challenge to his authority after the conferment of the “Okanlomo of Yorubaland” title on Sanusi.
In a statement signed by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, the Oyo monarch declared that only the Alaafin holds the exclusive right to bestow Yoruba-wide titles, citing a Supreme Court ruling as precedent.
“The conferment of a Yoruba-wide chieftaincy title by the Ooni is not only ultra vires but an insult to the Titan of Yorubaland. The Supreme Court itself has ruled that only the Alaafin has such authority. Yet, the Ooni continues to act above the law, trampling on both tradition and the courts,” the statement read.
The Alaafin warned that failure by the Ooni to withdraw the title within 48 hours would attract “consequences.”
