The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, has criticized the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, for conferring the chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on a business tycoon, Dotun Sanusi, a.k.a Ilaji.
Oba Owoade described the act as an affront to the revered institution of the Alaafin, stressing that only the Alaafin of Oyo reserves the exclusive right to bestow chieftaincy titles that cover the entire Yorubaland.
In a statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Bode Durojaye, the Alaafin accused the Ooni of acting beyond his jurisdiction.
“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 titles that cover the entire Yorubaland on anyone,” the statement read.
The Alaafin further noted that the instrument of office presented to Ooni Ogunwusi during his installation limits his traditional authority to the old Oranmiyan Local Government in Osun State, which has since been divided into Ife Central, Ife North, and Ife South Local Government Areas.
Oba Owoade, therefore, demanded the revocation of the title bestowed on Sanusi within 48 hours.
