KEY POINTS
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Alaafin rejects any supremacy battle in Yoruba monarchy.
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He says tradition and welfare matter more than rivalry.
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Palace insists Yoruba unity is stronger than competition.
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, says he is not in a supremacy battle with any monarch in Yorubaland or anywhere else.
The monarch made the comment in a statement released by his media director, Bode Durojaiye, in Ibadan. He stressed that his reign is about service to his people and the preservation of Yoruba culture, not a contest for power.
The clarification comes after a public disagreement with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi. The row followed the Ooni’s decision to honor businessman Dotun Sanusi with the title of Okanlomo of Oduwa during the launch of a new social media network, 2geda, in Ibadan. The Alaafin had questioned the move, sparking speculation of rivalry.
Supremacy battle in Yoruba monarchy dismissed
In his statement, Durojaiye said the Alaafin is guided by the trust of his subjects and the traditions of his forefathers. He added that the monarch “will never compromise the culture, development or future of his people for a pot of porridge.”
The palace also quoted the words of Alexander Graham Bell, noting that success comes not from fights for dominance but from steady, deliberate progress. That, they said, reflects the Alaafin’s approach to leadership.
“The Alaafin does not need to enter into any supremacy battle in Yoruba monarchy,” the statement said. “His leadership is measured by peace, prosperity and the welfare of his people.”
Alaafin says supremacy battle undermines unity
The statement described the Alaafin as both humble and firm, a traditional ruler who carries spiritual authority as well as political weight. It noted his induction into Yoruba spiritual traditions such as Ifa and Sango, and his titles including Kabiyesi (he who is unquestionable) and Ekeji Orisha (second-in-command to the gods).
According to the palace, Oba Owoade made a covenant with Yoruba ancestors to protect and promote the culture. The history of Oyo, once the largest empire in West Africa, was also cited as evidence of the Alaafin’s enduring role in Yoruba identity. Even colonial powers, the statement recalled, recognized the Alaafin as head of the Yoruba nation.
According to Punch, Durojaiye added that the Alaafin remains focused on the welfare of his subjects and the continuity of Yoruba customs. He argued that the Oyo monarchy has always been rooted in the Oduduwa dynasty and its paternal line, which gives the throne both legitimacy and responsibility.
For Oba Owoade, the message is clear: Yoruba unity cannot survive if rulers are locked in fights over supremacy.
