The paramount ruler and Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, has faulted the conferment of the Chieftaincy title of ‘Okanlomo of Yorubaland’ on a business tycoon, Dotun Sanusi, a.k.a Ilaji, by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II.
Oba Owoade said conferment of chieftaincy title which bothers on the entirety of Yorubaland by the Ooni of Ife was not only an affront to the referred institution of the Alaafin, “who is the Titan of Yorubaland and who holds exclusive right to confer any chieftaincy title which covers the entire Yorubaland on anyone.”
Alaafin, in a statement on Monday by his media aide, Bode Durojaye, said, “The Ooni of Ife is behaving as if there is no authority to check and call him to order and because of that “above the law” syndrome of his, he is in the habit of walking on everybody’s back including the apex Court in the country, the Supreme Court, which had ruled on the Exclusive preserve of the Alaafin to confer chieftaincy title that covers the entire Yorubaland on anyone.”
The monarch added that the instrument of office presented to Ooni Ogunwusi during his installation, specifically limits his traditional area of authority to the old Oranmiyan local government in Osun State, which has now been split into Ife Central, Ife North and Ife South LGAs.
Oba Owoade demanded the revocation of the title on Sanusi within 48 hours.
He accused the Ooni of Ife of taking the peace and unity initiative of the Alaafin for granted by taking decisions that are not only ultra vires, but derogatory to the Titan of Yorubaland.
“The dictum that nobody is above the law of the land is now being put to a crucial test and the reality of our time makes it very obligatory for the Alaafin to call the Ooni of Ife to order and demand revocation of the so-called Okanlomo of Yorubaland chieftaincy title conferred on Engineer Dotun Sanusi within 48 hours or face the consequences,” the statement said.
