The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, has rejected reports of a supremacy battle with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, stating that his reign is guided by tradition, culture, and the welfare of his people.
In a statement released in Ibadan on Thursday by his Media and Publicity Director, Bode Durojaiye, the monarch emphasized that he has no rivalry with any Oba in Yorubaland or elsewhere.
The clarification follows reports of tension between the two most prominent monarchs after the Ooni awarded the title ‘Okanlomo of Oduwa’ to businessman Dotun Sanusi during the launch of 2geda, an indigenous social media platform, at Ilaji Hotel in Ibadan.
Oba Owoade described himself as a guardian of Yoruba culture who would never sacrifice tradition for personal benefit, while also noting that the Alaafin’s popularity is determined by the prosperity, security, and well-being of his people.
Durojaiye, quoting Alexander Graham Bell on the importance of steady progress, stated that the Alaafin exemplifies patience, vision, and dedication to the greater good, and therefore has no need to engage in any battle for supremacy as he is already entrusted with the sacred duty of protecting Yoruba heritage.
The statement highlighted the Alaafin’s distinctive role in Yoruba history, noting Oyo’s past glory as a political and cultural empire and the colonial authorities’ recognition of the Alaafin as the supreme head of the Yoruba nation.
The statement highlighted that Oba Owoade, initiated into the mysteries of deities like Ifa and Sango, serves as a direct representative of Yoruba spiritual authority. “At the sacred shrine, he entered into a covenant with the ancestors to defend and promote Yoruba tradition, to which he has remained faithful,” it added.
The Alaafin’s media office reaffirmed his humility and authority, describing him with revered titles including Kabiyesi, Iku Baba Yeye, and Alase Ekeji Orisa.
The palace maintained that the Alaafin’s focus remains the preservation of Yoruba civilisation, cultural identity, and the welfare of his subjects, not supremacy battles.
