The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, has ordered the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, to revoke the chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland conferred on businessman, Dotun Sanusi.
The order was issued in a statement by Alaafin’s Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, on Monday, declaring that the Ooni had no right to confer titles that bother on Yorubaland.
He warned that the Ooni had 48 hours to revoke the title given to the businessman or face consequences.
The Alaafin said rather, he had the right to confer titles affecting the entire Yorubaland, being the “Titan of Yorubaland and on whom holds the exclusive right to confer any chieftaincy title which covers the entire Yorubaland on anyone.”
He stated that the instrument of office presented to Oba Ogunwusi, during his installation, specifically limited his traditional area of authority to Oranmiyan local government.
READ ALSO: Olubadan-designate, Ladoja, arrives Ibadan to rousing welcome
The statement reads: “The attention of the Alaafin of Oyo and the Titan of Yorubaland, Oba Owoade 1, has been drawn to the purported conferment of chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on a business tycoon, Dotun Sanusi, by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi.
“The conferment of chieftaincy title, which bothers on Yorubaland by the Ooni of Ife, is not only an affront to the referred institution of the Alaafin, who is the Titan of Yorubaland and on whom holds the exclusive right to confer any chieftaincy title which covers the entire Yorubaland on anyone.
“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 instrument of office presented to Oba Ogunwusi, during his installation, specifically limits his traditional area of authority to Oranmiyan Local Government, which has now been split into three Local Governments, viz: Ife Central, Ife North and Ife South.
”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 Sanusi within 48 hours or face the consequences.”
