- Safiu Kehinde
Moses Olafare, the Spokesperson of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has fired back at the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, over his statement ordering the Osun state monarch to revoke the chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland that he conferred on prominent Ibadan businessman, Dotun Sanusi.
NPO earlier Reported that the two prominent Yoruba monarchs’ battle for supremacy resurfaced again as the Alaafin, in a statement signed by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, faulted the Ooni’s action which he described as an affront on the Oyo monarch’s authority.
Durojaiye held that only the Alaafin has the exclusive right to bestow titles that cover the entire Yorubaland.
He accused the Ooni of disregarding a Supreme Court ruling which had affirmed the Alaafin’s exclusive powers in such matters.
The Alaafin spokesperson noted that the Ooni’s instrument of office limits his authority to Oranmiyan Local Government, now split into Ife Central, Ife North and Ife South.
He thereafter directed the Ooni to revoke the title within 48 hours or face consequences.
Reacting to the development in a reel on his Facebook handle on Monday, Olafare talked down the Alaafin’s threat on the Ooni of Ife.
He held that the Ooni is occupied with job creations for youths across Yorubaland while the Oyo monarch is fighting for supremacy that does not exist as he labelled his kingdom a ‘dead empire’, in reference to the Old Oyo empire.
“Ooni is busy setting up businesses and creating jobs for youths across Yorubaland, they are busy fighting for supremacy that doesn’t exist. Dead Empire!” Olafare wrote.
While noting in a separate post that there will be no official statement from the Ooni Palace as directed by Oba Adeyeye, Olafare however talked down the Alaafin’s directives which he labelled as an empty threat.
“My Principal has directed me against issuing a Press Release on the Empty Threat of the Alawada Babasala.
“I beg to disappoint you gentlemen of the press
“We cannot dignify the undignifiable with an official response. We leave the matter to be handled in the public court of opinion has it is already being treated.
“Let’s rather focus on narratives that unite us rather than the ones capable of dividing us.
“No Press Release pls🙏🏻. 48 Hours My Foot!!!” He wrote.