The Traditional Religion Worshippers Association, Osun State, has said the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, may be under a spell due to repeated clashes between them.
The President of the group, Oluseyi Atanda, said members of the association needed to perform rituals to settle the disputes between the two frontline Yoruba monarchs.
This is as a popular poet and Ifa priest, Ifayemi Elebuibon, said traditionalists had been offering sacrifices for peace to reign in Yorubaland.
The hostilities between the traditional rulers were reopened on Monday after the Alaafin faulted Ooni’s decision to confer the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on a businessman, Dotun Sanusi.
Oba Ogunwusi bestowed the title on him during the unveiling of 2geda, an indigenous social media and business networking platform, at Ilaji Hotel, Ibadan, Oyo State, on 16 August.
In a statement by his media aide, Bode Durojaiye, the Alaafin issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Ooni to revoke the title or ‘face the consequences’, arguing that no traditional ruler other than him had the authority to confer a title covering the entire Yorubaland.
The Ooni’s spokesperson, Moses Olafare, said Oba Ogunwusi had directed him to ignore the Alaafin’s outburst and leave the matter ‘in the court of public opinion’.
Commenting on the matter in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, Atanda expressed concern over the outbursts of the two monarchs, warning that their aides should be cautious.
The gynaecologist said it was unfortunate that the monarchs, who identified with the traditional religion, found themselves in such a needless quarrel.
Atanda said, ‘The two monarchs are traditionalists. We are from the same father. What could have caused the fight? May we not be under spell in Yorubaland. What is happening could be a spell from some people who don’t want the Yoruba race to unite.
‘What is happening can turn into a serious crisis; before you know it, some Yoruba monarchs will be queuing behind Alaafin and others will align with Ooni, and there will be a crisis’.
Asked if he meant that Alaafin and Ooni were under a spell, Atanda said, ‘It can be a spell. What is the reason for the quarrel? Both kings are wealthy, influential and exposed’.
Similarly, Elebuibon described the renewed feud between Ooni and Alaafin as needless, saying they should be concerned about the development of Yorubaland, not a supremacy battle.
He said it was embarrassing that the two monarchs, who were representing the Yoruba race across the world, were entangled in a supremacy battle.
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, the Araba of Osogbo said, ‘We are trying to resolve a matter, but somebody is frustrating the efforts (a n je ekuru k’tan, enikan tun gbonwo re s’awo). I wasn’t expecting what is happening. The two monarchs are cool-headed; they are frontline Yoruba monarchs representing the race across the world. If the two of them are exchanging words, it is a disgrace to every Yoruba.
‘What should be paramount to them should be the development of the Yoruba race, not a supremacy battle. What are we going to gain from a supremacy battle? Some people are fanning the ember of discord, but the two monarchs should be above board. Criminals from other races are killing our people and trying to occupy our land, yet what we have is a supremacy battle from our monarchs. That shouldn’t be. God will settle everything. We are praying and offering sacrifices’.
No fresh legal process
Meanwhile, Saturday PUNCH gathered that the Alaafin was not considering a fresh legal process against the Ooni.
It was learnt that Oba Owoade had vowed to release the Supreme Court judgment that purportedly affirmed his exclusive rights to confer chieftaincy titles covering the entire Yorubaland.
Findings by Saturday PUNCH revealed that Monday’s outbursts marked the second clash between the Alaafin and the Ooni this year.
The two prominent monarchs had earlier clashed in March over the control of Oyotunji African Village in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States, following the killing of the village leader, Adejuyigbe Adefunmi.
Ooni had sent a team of monarchs to Oyotunji to perform traditional rites after Adefunmi’s murder.
However, Oba Owoade, who was in seclusion at the time, allegedly called one of the traditional rulers sent to the village and demanded that they vacate the community, claiming it was Oyo’s territory.
The Alaafin’s Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, on Friday, declined to comment on the next step the Alaafin would take after the expiration of the 48-hour ultimatum he gave to the Ooni.
The ultimatum elapsed on Wednesday.
Asked if Oba Owoade would sue the Ooni for refusing to revoke the chieftaincy title, the spokesperson said, ‘I am under instruction not to talk to anyone on this matter again. I can only tell you that prominent Yoruba leaders both within and outside the country have intervened. That it is’.
When asked about the content of the Supreme Court judgment he referred to in his earlier statement, the Alaafin’s spokesperson said, ‘You will read it by yourself when we release it. Just be patient’.
An insider in the palace told Saturday PUNCH that Oba Owoade would not resort to a legal process to force Ooni to revoke the title or assert his supremacy.
The palace source said, ‘It has not got to that. There is an existing Supreme Court ruling, so instituting another legal process may not be necessary. It is not a fresh issue. It is recurring.
‘There are many Yoruba elders who have been calling Kabiesi every day on the matter. The call is too much; appealing that we should allow Yoruba elders to wade in.
‘However, the matter is not over. We are going to review and reveal our next step on the matter’, he said.
Another credible source at the palace told our correspondent that the Alaafin had warned his aides against inciting or divisive comments on the matter, and that efforts were on to reconcile the two prominent rulers.
‘I can confirm that our elders have intervened and they are making moves to settle the matter at both ends. Talking to the press may jeopardise their efforts’, he stated.
Saturday PUNCH also spoke with insiders in Ooni’s palace, who disclosed that Oba Ogunwusi was at peace and was not ready to take on anybody on the matter.
‘They were the ones who issued an ultimatum and they are the ones that know the consequences they want to unleash. They should be asked what their next action will be.
‘Honestly, we (Ooni’s palace) don’t want to join issue with anybody on this matter. They have issued a threat and they should tell us what to expect. They are not even remorseful about it. We have left the matter in public opinion. The people should judge’.
The Ooni’s spokesperson, Moses Olafare, declined to comment on the matter.
