The NAN employees, in the petition written by their solicitor, Ademola Sodamade, and dated December 11, 2025, alleged breach of peace, threat to life and malicious damage by some land speculators.

The petition listed Mr Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Mrs Oluwamayowa Ayinde and Mr Adewale Owoade among the owners of the land.

They said that some land speculators, allegedly led by one Mr Kazim, popularly known as Abija, had invaded the properties without any authorisation, removing all the beacons and signposts on the land.

The employees explained that they purchased 35 acres of land at Butubutu Village in Ona-Ara local government area of Oyo State between 2013 and 2014.

“After the perfection of the purchase, my clients partitioned the land and sold it to different individuals, majority of whom are staff of the News Agency of Nigeria, Ibadan branch.

“Surprisingly, however, about a few months ago, Mr Kazim, popularly known as Abija, the Mogaji of Ile Aje, in Ode-Aje, Ibadan, forcefully entered the land.

“He removed and carted away some of the signposts and destroyed some of the pillars on the land with a view to selling it to certain individuals.

“He threatened to kill anybody who dared to stop him from carrying out his plans on the sale of the land,” the petition read.

Consequently, the NAN employees appealed to the agency to come to their aid by stopping the illegal activities of the land speculators on the properties.

Copies of the petition, including agreement of purchases, land surveys, photographs of the land and other relevant documents, were also submitted to the Olubadan Committee on Land Grabbing, Office of the Deputy Governor as well as the Chief Press Secretary to Oyo State Governor, among others.

Speaking on the development, the chairman of NAN Housing Scheme in Ibadan Zonal Office, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said that the concept was borne out of a cooperative arrangement among the staff members of the agency to own property through monthly contributions since 2013.

“It is very sad and disturbing that some hoodlums, under the guise of working for the state government, can forcefully encroach on the land, destroy all the farm produce, remove all the beacons and signposts installed there and threaten to kill and maim any of us on the site,” Balogun said.

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The post Ibadan: NAN workers raise the alarm over invasion of their landed properties appeared first on Frontpageng.

In the last couple of months following the installation of Oba Akeem Owoade as the Alaafin of Oyo, the Ooni of Ifa, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi added new nomenclature for himself. He is no longer just the Ooni of Ife, he now goes about with the unnecessary and mouthful titles of The Permanent Chairman of the Southern Nigerian Traditional Rulers Council (SNTRC), Arole Oodua Olofin Adimula, and the Natural Head of the Oduduwa race worldwide.

Not to be outdone by the craze for highfaluting words that actually mean nothing, the Alaafin of Oyo soon added his own. Oba Owoade is now not just the Alaafin of Oyo, but must be addressed as the Paramount Ruler of Oyo Kingdom and the Superior Head of Yorubaland.

Since his installation on April 16, 2025, Oba Owoade has found himself at the centre of a power tussle with the Ooni of Ife over who has the authority to install a chieftaincy title that goes with ‘Yorubaland’. The circus started when Ooni gave a chieftaincy title of ‘Okanlomo’ of the Source to a businessman, Dotun Sanusi. Oba Owoade issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Ooni to revoke the title, claiming that only he has the right to confer Yoruba-wide titles. In the August 25th edition of The Discourse, I had cause to write an open letter to the Alaafin on the need for him to tread with caution, and that what should be uppermost in his mind should be the unity and development of the Yoruba race.

But that open letter seems not to have any meaning to the first-class traditional ruler, as he has been in war-mode with his fellow traditional rulers. As expected, the 48-hour ultimatum given to the Ooni has elapsed and nothing has come of his threat. He however went ahead to install Seyi Tinubu as ‘Okanlomo’ of Yorubaland.

In what appears to be another brewing crisis, this time within the Oyo State Traditional Council, Oba Owoade was conspicuously absent when the state governor, Seyi Makinde, inaugurated the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs with the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, as its new Chairman for a two-year period. The governor stated that by virtue of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs (Further Amendments) Law 2025, the Chairman of the Council would now be rotational amongst the three first-class traditional rulers in the state. These are the Alaafin of Oyo, Olubadan of Ibadan, and the Soun of Ogbomoso. He told his audience that following wide consultations, it was agreed that His Imperial Majesty, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, the Olubadan of Ibadan, should be the first chairman for the next two years.  Makinde’s revelation that the Council had been inactive since 2011 goes to show the root cause of the power tussle amongst Yoruba Obas in Oyo State alone.

Few hours after the inauguration of the Council, Oba Owoade responded, challenging Makinde to provide proof of where they met to discuss the rotational arrangement. His media aide, Dotun Adekanbi, put out this statement: ‘’The Palace hereby wants to state clearly that there was no time that Oba Owoade held any meeting with either the state governor or any of the two traditional rulers mentioned. Alaafin did not tell the Governor or make a categorical statement on his endorsement of rotational Chairmanship amongst the three traditional rulers in the state. The position of the Alaafin and the entire Oyo Community on the issue of the state Council of Obas and Chiefs has been enunciated in a memo delivered to his Excellency by the Oyo Council of Elders.’’

There is a Yoruba adage that says: Agbalagba ki i se lagbanlagba. Our elders should not continue to behave as children. If they do, they should be sure that the little dignity the office presently enjoys would soon be eroded.

The position of the Oyo Council of Elders according to findings is that the Alaafin should be the permanent Chairman of the Council. That was the same tug-of-war that the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi fought with the now late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade that led to the polarisation of the Council until Osun state was carved out of the old Oyo State.

Few days before Makinde inaugurated the Council, there was a public spat between Alaafin and Oba Ladoja. What began with a seemingly harmless greeting at a state inter-faith event, metastasised into a broader dispute over customary respect, sovereignty of institutions, and historical interpretation of royal standing. At the heart of the current controversy is an incident at the Agodi Government House in Ibadan, where the Alaafin, already seated at a ceremony, extended his hand to greet Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, the Olubadan of Ibadanland. The Olubadan did not respond and instead, proceeded to greet other dignitaries before calmly taking his seat.

For many present and for observers across the country, the moment spoke volumes about mutual respect and the expectations of protocol. To Ibadan traditional stakeholders, the gesture was more than awkward; it was disrespectful to a monarch whose age, experience, political service, and traditional standing far exceed that of the Alaafin in that setting. Following the episode, Ibadan traditional leaders, including monarchs, Mogajis and Baales, issued a stern warning to the Alaafin of Oyo, describing his conduct as “an embarrassment of the highest order”, and insisting that any further affront would be met with strong resistance from Ibadan’s institutions. They stressed that stretching out a hand to greet the Olubadan while seated was inappropriate and insulting to the Olubadan stool as well as the dignity of the Ibadan traditional establishment. They noted that Olubadan’s seniority in age and contributions as a former Governor, former Senator, and respected elder warrants the highest respect at public functions.

However, the Olubadan, in dousing the tension, said that he actually did not see the hand gesture greeting from the Alaafin and that there was no animosity between them. Traditional institutions in Yorubaland, once revered as the sacred custodians of culture, history, and conflict resolution, have recently faced significant scandals, public ridicule, and an erosion of their sanctity. These scandals often involve political interference, corruption in the selection process of monarchs, and clashes between traditional, religious, and modern authorities.

How to revive the dying traditional institutions that they occupy should be the priority of the traditional rulers, rather than fighting needless wars amongst themselves. It is indeed sad that another first-class traditional ruler in Osun State, The Apetu of Ipetumode, Oba Joseph Oloyede, is presently serving a four-year prison sentence in the United States of America. Oloyede, 62, who holds dual U.S. and Nigerian citizenships, and resides in Medina, Ohio, was on August 26, 2025, handed 56 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, the monarch was also ordered to “serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment and pay $4,408,543.38 in restitution. He also forfeited his Medina home on Foote Road, which he had acquired with proceeds of fraud, while an additional $96,006.89, also believed to be proceeds of fraud, was seized.’’

In the same Osun State, another first-class traditional ruler has been caught on video smoking marijuana. One would wonder how they qualify to be custodians of our culture and role models to our youths.

In parts of the South-West, some traditional rulers are heavily involved in illegal mining and land-grabbing, and their support for criminal herders and bandits are well documented. There has been a wave of royal scandals of late, and it is now common to hear a monarch being called out by a victim; arraigned before a court, and even sentenced to jail within and outside Nigeria for malfeasance. How shameful!

Few years ago, the public assault on Abraham Areola, 73, by the traditional ruler of Orile-Ifo, Ogun State, Abdulsemiu Ogunjobi, laid bare, the oppression and subjugation that subjects endure at the hands of some unscrupulous monarchs. A viral video clip showed Ogunjobi with some of his aides, ordering Areola, a Chief, to kneel at the roadside as he was accused of conspiracy and betrayal. The impunity with which the Chief was dehumanised; with his principal raining vituperations and curses on him, drew the ire of many.

Not long ago, the Ogun State Government lamented the proliferation of illegal traditional rulers in the state. That development further confirmed that like other sectors, the traditional institution is not immune to atrocities and fakery. Governor Dapo Abiodun told the third Quarterly Statutory Meeting of the Ogun State Council of Obas that some people were securing fake appointment letters and parading themselves as monarchs without following the stipulated processes and laid down procedures.

In most of these South-West states, some royal fathers have been indicted for arbitrary selling plots of land with deposits of natural resources. This has, in most cases, led to crises between illegal miners and farmers in states like Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo, while some of their counterparts in Lagos and Ogun states are notorious for the illegal mining of sand.

In a move that suggests that the nefarious activities of these monarchs were not going unnoticed, the Oyo State government suspended the Onido of Ido, Oba Gbolagade Muritala Babalola, over alleged links to the activities of illegal miners in the Ido Local Council of the state.

Many Nigerians are now openly questioning the relevance or otherwise of the traditional institutions in the country. In Yorubaland, where their focus should be on how to revive the dying culture of the race, they are more at home being at loggerheads over irrelevant issues that add little or nothing to their office or improve the lot of their people. The Yoruba dialect is almost dying, but that is not of importance to them. Our culture is on the brinks of collapse but the battle of who is senior and junior is their major priority. Our history is almost eroded but little attention is paid to that.

There is a Yoruba adage that says: Agbalagba ki i se lagbanlagba. Our elders should not continue to behave as children. If they do, they should be sure that the little dignity the office presently enjoys would soon be eroded. Now is the time for them to close ranks and work for the peace, progress, and development of the region. They should not be seen dancing naked in the market place as they are presently doing. A word, they say, is enough for the wise.

See you next week.

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The post The needless traditional rulers power tussle in Yorubaland appeared first on Frontpageng.

The Alaafin of Oyo stool is one of the most revered traditional institutions in Yorubaland and, indeed, Nigeria. It is a throne steeped in centuries of history, cultural gravitas and political symbolism. Yet, in recent times, the occupant of that exalted stool, Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade, has found himself repeatedly enmeshed in controversies that raise one fundamental question: is it not time for the Alaafin to restrategize?

No traditional ruler, especially a first-class monarch, can afford to be perpetually at war  with fellow monarchs, the political establishment or even with public opinion.

The Alaafin’s reign, since his emergence, on Saturday, April 5, 2025, has been punctuated by public disagreements, institutional confrontations and statements that many consider provocative, divisive or unnecessarily combative. While a traditional ruler is not expected to be timid, wisdom demands a careful balance between assertiveness and restraint.

The controversies have been many and varied. From open rivalry with other respected Yoruba monarchs like the Ooni of Ife and Olubadan of Ibadan to thinly veiled political posturing, the Alaafin has often appeared more comfortable in the arena of public disputes than in the quiet but powerful role of a cultural stabiliser. Such actions may excite supporters who admire boldness, but they also expose the throne to avoidable risks – especially in a country where governments have repeatedly shown that no traditional institution is beyond sanction.

Nigeria’s history offers sobering lessons. From Ovonramwen of Benin to Sultan of Sokoto and more recent dethronements across the country, like Emir Lamido Sanusi of Kano, the message is clear: when a traditional ruler consistently crosses lines – whether political, administrative or legal – the state eventually asserts itself. Titles, crowns and ancestral prestige have not always been enough to shield monarchs from deposition, suspension or outright removal. The Alaafin’s stool, for all its glory, is not immune.

As a first-class traditional ruler, the Alaafin is expected to be a bridge-builder, a custodian of culture and a moral compass for his people. His words should heal, not inflame; his interventions should unite, not polarise. When a monarch becomes better known for controversy than for consensus, for disputes rather than diplomacy, it is a signal that something is amiss.

Restrategizing, by the way, does not mean surrendering authority or abandoning principles. Rather, it calls for a recalibration of approach. The Alaafin must recognize that modern traditional rulership operates within a constitutional democracy.

Restrategizing, by the way, does not mean surrendering authority or abandoning principles. Rather, it calls for a recalibration of approach.

Governments may court traditional rulers when it suits them, but they will not hesitate to discipline them when they feel threatened or embarrassed, just like the recent one where Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State was portrayed as a liar. Prudence, therefore, is not cowardice; it is actually survival.

There is also the question of legacy. How does the Alaafin wish to be remembered? As a brilliant but controversial monarch constantly at loggerheads with authority, or as a wise king who navigated turbulent times with tact and preserved the dignity of the Oyo throne?

Legacy is shaped not just by courage, but by judgment.

The Alaafin still has the opportunity to chart a new path. By toning down public confrontations, embracing quiet diplomacy and focusing on cultural leadership rather than political grandstanding, he can reinforce the relevance and respect of his throne. Engagements with government should be strategic, not adversarial. Engagements with fellow traditional rulers should also be collegial, not competitive.

Ultimately, the survival of any traditional institution depends on its ability to adapt without losing its soul. The Alaafin’s stool has survived wars, colonialism and political upheavals because previous occupants understood when to speak and when to stay silent, when to fight and when to negotiate.

This, therefore, is not a call for submission, but for wisdom. The times demand it. The throne deserves it. And if the Alaafin truly wishes to avoid the ignominy of being dethroned or sacked by the government, the moment to restrategize is now – not tomorrow, not after the next controversy, but immediately.

*Arinze, FNGE, is the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine and author of important books like The CEO’s Bible 1 and 2, Success Is Not Served A La Carte, A Taste of Success, My Story of Many Colours, Tested and Trusted Success Secrets of the Rich and Famous, Anything and Everything Journalism, Conversations With Showbiz Stars and Encounters: Lessons From My Journalism Career.

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The post EXTRA: Time for Alaafin to restrategize, By Azuh Arinze appeared first on Frontpageng.

Sir, I am compelled to write this open letter to you in view of the recent letter you wrote to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on a matter that should not warrant such a degrading letter. I want to believe that you did not see the content of the letter purportedly signed by your media aide, Bode Durojaiye, before it was made public.

You come from a lineage that is well loved and respected in Oyo State and beyond. I still have fond memories of one of your uncles, Prince. B. O. Owoade, who was a former Principal at the Lagos State Model College, Kankon, in Badagry, and served from 1988 to 2005. Till date, his impact and legacies are still evident for all to see. Again, your cosmopolitan nature as a man who has lived in the United Kingdom and Canada for a long time as well as the exposure you must have acquired in those foreign lands should have shaped your views on the changing dynamics in world affairs.

Kabiyesi, in my opinion, you should not have approved such a letter to be written to a fellow Oba. Even if the Oba is a Third-class Chief, he does not deserve the manner in which Durojaiye penned that letter. Sir, allow me to quote what your media aide wrote on your behalf: “The attention of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, has been drawn to the purported conferment of the chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on a business tycoon, Dotun Sanusi, by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi. The conferment of a chieftaincy title, which borders on Yorubaland by the Ooni of Ife is an affront to the referred institution of the Alaafin, who is the Titan of Yorubaland and who 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 titles that cover 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 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 Yoruba land chieftaincy title conferred on Engineer Dotun Sanusi within 48 hours, or face the consequences.’’

Iku Baba yeye, that press statement is a slap on the faces of all true-born Yoruba sons and daughters worldwide. In fact, it is a minus on the exalted office you now preside over. I would be furious if anyone wrote in such a condescending manner to you. I want to believe that you did not see the final copy of the press statement before it was issued and the right thing to do would be to sack your media aide and get competent media and public relations experts on your team. That letter was written last week Monday, and the 48 hours ultimatum given to the Ooni has elapsed. So, what has happened? Are Oyo warriors on their way to Ile-Ife to get the head of the Ooni as was the practice in the 16th century?

In the statement issued by your staff, he stated that the authority of the Ooni is limited to Oranmiyan Local Government, which has now been split into three local governments while you have authority over the entire Yoruba race. Kabiyesi, have you checked the 1999 constitution which we are presently operating in Nigeria? Do you know that a Local Government Chairman can remove you from office if he or she so desires?

Your appointment letter, in actual fact, was issued by the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, and he could also sign a letter removing you from office. Kabiyesi, please go through old copies of Nigerian Newspapers or Magazines and read up of how powerless the traditional institution has become in Nigeria. Recent developments where the Emir of Kano was deposed and his uncle installed is still fresh in our minds. The fact that the 48 hours given to the Ooni has elapsed and he is still on his throne shows that Durojaiye was out to ridicule you and your office. A first-class Oba should not be seen to be issuing an empty threat.

In another press statement issued by the same Durojaiye, he stated that you are not in any supremacy battle with the Ooni or any other traditional ruler, and that you derive your power to rule over all of Yoruba land through colonial fiat and a Supreme Court pronouncement. Hmmmm.

In the not-too-distant past, there has been record of rivalry between the Ooni and the Alaafin, particularly before the creation of Osun State out of the old Oyo State. However, when Ooni Ogunwusi got to the throne of his forefathers, he broke the jinx when he visited the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, twice, in January and May, 2016. The last time an Ooni visited Oyo was in 1937, a trip made by the then Ooni, Oba Adesoji Aderemi. Both Oba Ogunwusi and Oba Adeyemi ensured that the seed of peace they sowed germinated and was well nurtured by their utterances and attitudes towards one another. That cordial relationship between them lasted till Oba Adeyemi joined his ancestors on April 22, 2022.

During the visit, the late Alaafin Adeyemi, who could not hide his joy, said it was the first time that an Ife monarch would be visiting Oyo since 1937, confirming that he had not enjoyed cordial relationships with the past Ife monarchs. Hear him: “May your reign be long, Ooni. I am happy with Ooni Ogunwusi’s moves to unite all Yoruba Obas. This special visit was done last in March 1937, which was the first time the kings in Yoruba land met in Oyo town and history was made again, with the visit of Arole Oodua, Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, and I feel delighted to host you and to reassure you that I will be ready to work with you. I have a tight relationship with Ooni Adesoji Aderemi, and I did not want to relent my bond with any Ooni of Ife that assumed the post, but everybody has their little differences. The peace process that I and the Ooni began will yield good results. We are on a mission to unite the entire Yoruba race, and the Ooni’s interest is a welcome development. Without peace and tolerance, we cannot establish lasting unity among our people.”

While responding to Alaafin’s complimentary remarks, Oba Ogunwusi said: “It is a new dawn for all Yoruba sons and daughters around the globe. I am here, though not invited, but as the Arole Oduduwa. The onus is on me to felicitate with all sons and daughters wherever they are and to show my solidarity for any of them. I am ready to damn any consequences or insinuations from anywhere; my mission here is to preach peace among the nations of Yoruba, both home and abroad, and I am ready to work with the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Adeyemi, to project the unity and love which we believe exists in the days of our forefathers. I am here in the presence of the people of Oyo and God, our creator, Who Knows everything. It is a day of joy when the Yoruba race comes together to celebrate its own leaders. It is also a day of joy because I am celebrating with our king, the Alaafin of Oyo.”

Supremacy battle, and who should give chieftaincy titles should be the least of your concerns. Face the task ahead and may the spirit of your forefathers’ guide and protect you. Long may you reign on the throne!

That was at the 45th coronation anniversary of your predecessor, where no fewer than 30 other kings were present. It is in line with this that I would plead with you to toe the line of unity of the Yoruba race.

Kabiyesi, Yoruba in particular, and Nigerians in general, have moved beyond those 18th century supremacy battles between hamlets and villages. We are in a modern era where ideas, science, and technology determine who is relevant in world affairs. You left Nigeria first for the United Kingdom where you studied before finally settling down in Canada. Many of our compatriots are scattered all over the world, looking for how they would better their lives as those that we elect back at home to govern us have messed up our country.

Now that you have been placed in a position of power, what should be uppermost in your mind should be how to improve the lot of Yoruba sons and daughters at home and abroad. How you can, in your own little corner, create jobs for our teeming unemployed youths in Oyo, collaborate with fellow traditional rulers in the South west to revive our dying agricultural sector so that millions of your subjects would stop going to bed hungry.

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What you can do to bring development to the nooks and cranny of Yoruba land should be paramount in your mind. You have the connections and exposure; you know how it was done in the developed world, where many of our compatriots now run to for greener pastures, and I know that you can replicate developmental efforts back home. Work with those in the government and other traditional rulers to bring development to the region. We are presently confronted by myriads of problems. Yoruba land is presently under siege. Our culture is dying. How to revive it should be paramount in your heart. Even some Obas who should be the custodian of our culture are the ones running away from it. This is sad.

Alaafin should emulate the good example set by Oba Adedokun Omoniyi Abolarin, the Oba of Oke-ila Orangun, who set up a school, Abolarin College, and still find time to teach. The school is offering free education with resources like free food, accommodation, laptops, and electricity supply to underprivileged children. The development of the Yoruba race should be uppermost in your mind and you can’t do it alone without the support and cooperation of other Obas. Supremacy battle, and who should give chieftaincy titles should be the least of your concerns. Face the task ahead and may the spirit of your forefathers’ guide and protect you. Long may you reign on the throne!

Kabiyesi, ooooo!

…Oyo omo Alaafin

Ojo pa sekere mode omo atiba

O b’olowo wipe k’o gb’owo

O si n ba iwofa wipe k’o ju eru sile

Ase k’o le baa di’ja

Ko le baa di aapon

K’omo oba le ri je nibe

Oyo l’o gbin agbado oran

S’ehinkule elehinkule

Elehinkule ko gbodo yaa je

Beeni ko si gbodo tu u danu

Omo iku ti’ku ko le pa

Omo arun t’arun ko le gbe de

Omo ofo, t’ofo ko le se….”

See you next week.

The post Open letter to Alaafin Owoade, By Kazeem Akintunde appeared first on Frontpageng.

I listened to both the departed Ooni Olubuse and Alaafin Adeyemi lay conflicting claims to seniority and superiority, each relying on historical evidence, colonial documents and authority, and or court judgements to prove their case. I read History as a course of study; so, I have an idea of the history, facts, and documents that the two thrones brandish to prove their case. Truth be told, none of the two monarchs is right as of today to lay claim to seniority or superiority over the other and, indeed, over many other Yoruba obas in the present dispensation. In times past, maybe; but not any longer. Times have changed. Empires have crumbled. Power has changed hands. No one may continue to live in the past and disturb our peace in the present circumstance.

Origin of the Yoruba

The Yoruba agree that they originated from Ile-Ife and that Oduduwa was their progenitor. Oduduwa is said to have 16 direct children and many notable grandchildren. Kingdoms founded by these include Oyo, Benin, Ila, Ilesha, and Owo. History also records Oduduwa sons/grandsons to include the Alara, Ajero, Alaketu, Olowu, Onisabe, Onipopo, Alake, Aremitan (who later became the Owa of Idanre).

The direct sons and grandsons of Oduduwa reportedly dispersed from Ile-Ife to found many other Yoruba kingdoms. One of them, Oranyan or Oranmiyan, was sent by his father at the request of the then Bini Kingdom for an Oduduwa prince, to help the Binis start a new dynasty, putting an end to the troubled Ogiso monarchy.

Oranyan went to Benin, was installed king  and married a Bini woman who gave birth to a son named Eweka. Thus, the present Bini dynasty is an offshoot of the Oranyan blood. In other words, any Bini person given birth to by anyone married into the Bini royal dynasty since the reign of Eweka has Yoruba blood flowing in his or her veins.

Oranyan, for reasons best known to him, left Benin after giving birth to Eweka. Some historians said he could not stomach or cope with the behaviour of the Bini people. Others said the pull of home was too strong for him to ignore. Returning home, he founded the old Oyo kingdom with its capital at Old Oyo (Oyo-Ile, which the Hausa called “Katunga”, meaning “large walls”, as a result of its majestic, oval-shaped wall).

At one point, Oyo empire was the strongest of all the kingdoms in Yorubaland, sprawling from the savannah region of the North to the coast of the Atlantic ocean and as far as some parts of present-day Benin Republic. But it never mastered the whole of Yorubaland as we know it today and no empire lasts forever! They rise and fall for varying reasons. History teaches of so many of such powerful kingdoms which later fell: Mali empire, Songhai empire, Dahomey empire, Kush, Azom and Zimbabwe, Kanem-Bornu empire, the empire founded by Shaka the Zulu, Bini Kingdom, to mention but a few.

The fall of Oyo Empire

History abhors a vacuum; so the unravelling of the old Oyo empire (in 1835/36?) principally as a result of the treachery and rebellion of Afonja gave rise to other successor-states such as Ibadan, Ijaiye, the Egbas and Ijebus, not to talk of the Ijeshas, Ekitis and Owo. Many war-like kingdoms were founded by the soldiers and Yoruba (Oyo) people fleeing down South as a result of the vicious attack unleashed by Fulani/Alimi jihadists and their Ilorin/Afonja surrogates; these include Modakeke, Gbongan, and Ode-Omu. Ibadan (Eba-Odan), and Abeokuta (where Olumo Rock provided shelter from attack) were also new towns.

The Battle of Osogbo (1840), which checkmated the southward move of the jihadists was fought by a combined Yoruba army, primarily supported by Ibadan and Ogbomoso; thus confirming Ibadan as the new dominant military power in Yorubaland of the time. Effectively, the old Oyo Empire’s military power and political influence or dominance had come to an end!

The Yoruba wars

Enter Ibadan and its dictatorship over much of Yoruba land! Its tyrannical “Ajele” system of administration led to revolts, rebellions and wars against its rule by other Yoruba city-states. Civil war engulfed Yorubaland for almost 100 years. Google described it as “a series of prolonged and devastating conflicts that engulfed Yorubaland, primarily triggered by the collapse of the Oyo Empire in the early 1800s. These wars featured shifting alliances and power struggles between emerging city-states like Ibadan and Abeokuta/Ijaiye and the final, longest phase, the Kiriji War (1877-1893) which involved coalitions like the Ekiti-Parapo against Ibadan dominance. The wars ultimately weakened the Yoruba states and paved the way for British intervention and annexation in the late 19th century.”

Chieftaincy titles, the crux of the current face-off between the Ooni and Alaafin, have these days become so debased they are bestowed on all sorts; it profiteth Yorubaland nothing!

Google adds that “the internal collapse of the once-powerful Oyo Empire created a significant power vacuum and series of disputes over succession and control” leading to “the rise of new, powerful centres of influence, such as Ibadan, which engaged in expansionist campaigns to control trade routes and slaves.” The Yoruba civil wars of the period include the Owu war (1821-1829) in which a coalition of Yoruba states, including Ife and Ijebu, destroyed Owu town; Egba-Ijebu War, better known as the Owiwi War (1832 -1834) primarily over influence and control of trade routes; Ijaiye war (1860 -1865) in which Ibadan fought and destroyed Ijaiye, thus consolidating its hold on power and dominance in much of Yorubaland; and, of course, the war to end all wars, the Kiriji/Ekiti-Parapo war (1877 – 1893) fought by the Ekiti-Parapo forces to overthrow the Ibadan yoke and check its efforts to maintain hegemony over the entirety of Yorubaland.

The Old Oyo Empire lost its political and military control over the parts of Yorubaland it controlled 190 years ago! How, then, can today’s Alaafin still claim suzerainty over such territories? He cannot, just as the successors of Jaja of Opobo, Ovonramwen Nogbaisi of Bini, Shaka the Zulu, Mansa Musa of Mali, etc cannot today lay claim to the ancient empires founded and reigned over by their illustrious ancestors. Brandishing colonial records or judgments by courts that relied on such records availeth nothing.

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Everywhere they went in what later became Nigeria, the British colonialists acted on their own whims and caprices, prompted only by what advanced their vested interests. If they gave any oba a salary higher than another or bestowed upon one fleeting privilege or advantage, it had nothing to do with superiority or seniority but only as it served the interests of the colonial power.

Is Ooni a direct descendant of Oduduwa?

Having said that, we must ask the question whether the Ooni is a direct descendant of Oduduwa – a son, grandson or whatever. One history says he is not, but is only an “arole” or overseer of sorts, a caretaker of the home after the direct sons and grandsons of Oduduwa had scattered abroad to found this or that kingdom. Another history described him as a priest or spiritual aide or mentor to Oduduwa and his sons and grandsons. Can he, in that capacity, rightly establish superiority or suzerainty over the direct descendants of Oduduwa? But there is also the history that says the Ooni is a direct descendant of Oduduwa as well as the spiritual leader of Yorubaland, Ile-Ife being the recognised source and cradle of the Yoruba.

Whichever is the correct history, Ile-Ife’s authority in Yorubaland is more historical, cultural, moral and spiritual than military or political. Can it now begin to exercise political or military powers that it never had? My considered opinion is that the one who once wielded power but lost it and the one who never wielded such power are one and the same! The one should not fight over what it lost almost 200 years ago, and which is practically impossible for him to recover in these modern times. The other should not now arrogate to himself what he never had.

Keep to your lane!

To conclude: What did the appointing authorities write in the letters appointing the Ooni and the Alaafin? Is it “Ooni of Ife” and is it “Alaafin of Oyo”? Or is it “Ooni of Yorubaland” and “Alaafin of Yorubaland”? If it is the former, then, let everyone restrict himself to his territory! No one should pretend to extend his territory beyond what is written in his letter of appointment.

If he so wishes, let the Ooni give titles limited to Ife and let the Alaafin similarly give titles limited to Oyo if he, too, wishes. Neither has the power to give – and neither should give – Yoruba-wide chieftaincy titles. And like Chinua Achebe counsels in “Things Fall Apart”, “Let the kite perch and let the eagle perch too. If one says no to the other, let his wing…” You may wish to complete the sentence! This also applies to other Yoruba obas and chiefs. Let everyone keep within his territory.

Chieftaincy titles, the crux of the current face-off between the Ooni and Alaafin, have these days become so debased they are bestowed on all sorts; it profiteth Yorubaland nothing! Therefore, any existing title or new ones that any of our obas might have given or may propose to give that flouts or may have flouted the golden rule of keeping to your lane is null and void and of no effect whatsoever!

When an athlete infringes on another athlete’s lane, what happens? He or she is automatically disqualified! Any Oba giving Yoruba-wide chieftaincy titles is like an aircraft overshooting the tarmac!

I come in peace!

State Council of Chiefs: How relevant?

Many had thought the problem of seniority or supremacy tussle between the Ooni and Alaafin was as a result of their being in the same “boat” or “ship”, as it were. You know it is said that we cannot have two captains in the same ship. That was the problem when the two foremost thrones were in the same Western Region, Western State, and the then old Oyo State.

The tussle at the time was over the chairmanship of the Council of Obas. Who should permanently chair the council? Or should the chairmanship rotate? No formula acceptable to all was found until Osun state was excised out of Oyo state – and everyone heaved a sigh of relief. The problem of chairmanship tussle between the Ooni and Alaafin was solved by that state creation as each now belongs to different states.

But the recent tussle over who has the right to bestow Yoruba-wide chieftaincy titles has, once again, drawn attention to the fact that we still harbour lice on our head. Such being the case, we will continue to have blood-stains on our finger nails. Thus, putting heads together to find ways of directing the bountiful energies, especially of our youthful obas, into profitable ventures that will better serve the needs of Yorubaland becomes imperative. For, it must not be said of our obas that idle hands are the devil’s workshop.

Not long ago, I heard murmurings coming from the direction of Ibadan that they, too, would not allow the chairmanship of the Oyo State Council of Obas to permanently reside in Oyo. There are cases like that simmering in other Yoruba states. Before those murmurings become a din, can we please do something! Should we kuku scrap every state council of chiefs to keep our peace and restrict each traditional ruler to his local government area?

I come in peace!

*Bolawole (turnpot@gmail.com 0807 552 5533), former Editor of PUNCH newspapers, Chairman of its Editorial Board and Deputy Editor-in-chief, was also the Managing Director/ Editor-in-chief of the Westerner newsmagazine. He writes the “ON THE LORD’S DAY” column in the Sunday Tribune and “TREASURES” column in the New Telegraph newspapers. He is also a public affairs analyst on radio and television.

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Why Alaafin does not need to get into any battle for supremacy with any Oba, either in Yorubaland or anywhere in the universe.

These immortal words of Alexander Graham Bell – “The most successful men in the end are those whose success is the result of steady accretion… It is the man who carefully advances step by step, with his mind becoming wider and wider – and progressively better able to grasp any theme or situation – persevering in what he knows to be practical, and concentrating his thought upon it, who is bound to succeed in the greatest degree” – sum up the life voyage of Alaafin Abimbola Akeem  Owoade 1, an Indomitable Monarch with an unequalled passion for the great good of all.

He is a veritable Custodian of Yoruba culture and tradition, and has always taken into consideration the safety and welfare of his subjects and will never compromise tradition, culture and development of his people for a pot of porridge.

The history has been so kind and friendly to Alaafin Owoade Publicity since he ascended the throne of his forefathers, as he does not need to get into any battle for supremacy with any oba, either in Yorubaland or anywhere in the universe.

Oba Owoade combines humility with royalty to meet the modern day demands.

Kabiyesi (the king who no one questions)

Iku Baba Yeye (The one who commands death/He who is parent to death)

Alashe (He who wields Authority)

Orisha (Commander to the gods)

The Alaafin was inducted into the mysteries of various gods like Ifa, Sango etc to be the direct representative of these deities on earth. At the hallowed ground of Yoruba ancient shrine, as Oba Owoade made a covenant with illustrious Yoruba ancestors that he would defend, protect and add glamour to the Yoruba norms and tradition.

Oduduwa’s Principal Minister and grandson, Oranmiyan,  (Because Oduduwa begot Okanbi, an only child and Okanbi begot Oranmiyan among others namely Ila-Orangun, Oni-Sabe, Olu-Popo, Ala-Ketu,  Oba-Benin) founded the city of Oyo when prolonged drought struck Ile-Ife as a result of people’s emigration.

Oyo simply rose to prominence through wealth gained from trade and its military skills. It was the largest West Africa empire, the most important and authoritative of all the early Yoruba principalities.

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More so, the British as it was in their tradition recognised lineage as meaningful supremacy and legitimacy, preferring to sign the Treaty of Cessation with the Alaafin as the Superior Head of the Yoruba Nation.

Alaafin relies heavily on the will and wishes of his subjects. In politics also, he is concerned about the sanctity of his position, and whatever happens on the welfare of his people.

He is a veritable Custodian of Yoruba culture and tradition, and has always taken into consideration the safety and welfare of his subjects and will never compromise tradition, culture and development of his people for a pot of porridge.

Customs and all traditional practices of today in government, religion and economic life have had distance, and possibly age-long origins which were based on valid and accepted tenets that emerged from the synthesis and aggregated experience of particular society.

One of such societies is the ancient city of Oyo, reputed for cultural resources that are of rich non-material and material attributes and transmitted through generations. Among them are festivals, diet, building of historical and architectural interest and an ancient city walls that have been declared monuments by the National Commission for Museums and Monuments.

Others are ethnographic assets which include war dresses, traditional and royal crafts, leather works, calabash decorations, pottery, wood carving and production of traditional drums (dundun and sekere).

Moreover, the precepts and concepts of Alaafin’s administration have continued to support and nurture the peoples’ ancient culture, and sophisticated civilization from time immemorial.

The basic concept of government was monarchy with a rigid adherence to monolithic Oduduwa dynasty and of the paternal line.

The Alaafin, Iku Baba Yeye (Death, the almighty, Ruler and companion of the goods) is the title of the monarch. Even with the divine attributes, the Alaafin operates  a government that is judged by its result.

The prosperity, security and the well-being of the people dictated his popularity both in the Palace and in the Empire at large.

*Durojaiye is the Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, Paramount Ruler of Oyo Kingdom and the Superior Head of Yorubaland.

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In a statement by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, on Monday, the Alaafin declared that the Ooni had no right to confer titles that border on Yorubaland on anyone.

According to Oba Owoade, rather, the right resided with him, 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 therefore gave the Ooni 48 hours to revoke the title or face consequences.

But in a post on his Facebook wall, the Director, Media and Public Affairs, of the Ooni, Otunba Yera Moses Olafare, said his principal had told him not to issue any statement on the threat by the Alaafin.

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The spokesman described the threat by the Alaafin as an empty one, arguing that the Ooni would not dignify the threat by issuing an official response.

The post reads in full:

“From Ooni’s Palace: 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 undignifyable 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!!!”

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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.

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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.”

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Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, has  presented UNESCO’s  certificate on the inscription to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Abdulhakeem Owoade I.

The minister made the presentation at the grand finale of the 2025 World Sango Festival held over the weekend in Oyo State.

Musawa stated that the achievement marked a significant milestone in Nigeria’s cultural landscape.

According to her, the feat is a demonstration of  the ministry’s commitment to safeguarding the country’s rich cultural heritage and promoting it as a tool for international diplomacy and sustainable tourism.

The minister lauded the collaborative efforts between her ministry and the Oyo community, noting that the recognition aligned with the federal government’s broader goals of cultural promotion, employment generation, wealth creation, and community empowerment.

“I heartily congratulate your Imperial Majesty, the new Sango Chief Priest, the Oyo community, and indeed the entire Yoruba nation on the grand finale of the 2025 World Sango Festival.

“The Sango Festival has now attained global recognition with its inscription by UNESCO on the Representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

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“This is made possible by effective collaboration between the Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy and the Oyo Community.

“This milestone firmly places Sango’s rich heritage on the world stage and underscores its importance as a shared global heritage.

“This achievement is a shining gain of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, through our ministry’s commitment to safeguarding our rich cultural heritage as a powerful tool for international diplomacy and sustainable tourism.

“The foregoing further strengthens the foundation of our strong cultural identity, geared towards employment generation and wealth creation for sustainable development, empowerment of the host community, and Nigeria,” she said.

In his remarks, Alaafin of Oyo, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and the ministry for their renewed commitment to expanding Nigeria’s culture and heritage, which has led to the remarkable feat.

The monarch reiterated the Oyo Kingdom’s cooperation with the administration and the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy to further promote Nigeria’s cultural identity on the global stage.

The 2025 Sango Festival, which drew dignitaries from within and outside the country, served as the backdrop for the certificate presentation.

It highlights the festival’s significance as a cultural treasure and a symbol of Nigeria’s rich heritage.

Source: NAN

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The president spoke when he received the 46th Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Abdulhakeem Owoade I, his wife, Abiwumi, and a delegation of other traditional rulers from Oyo State at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

President Tinubu congratulated the Alaafin for his ascendancy to the historic throne, assuring the royal father of his prayers and support.

“It is a great joy for me and a great honour. Your ascendancy to the throne of your fathers is historic. It is the will of God and the heart of the people.

“I am following up on your foresight for development, your humility, and the fact that you uphold the traditions of your people.

“The inherited tradition is the making of the Almighty God. Your ascendancy to the throne – like my becoming a president is the divine will of the Almighty God,” he said.

The president noted that the “hurdles, processes, and anxiety” along the way were part of the preparation for the position.

President Tinubu commended the traditional council for the ease in nominating and crowning the 46th Alaafin following Oba Lamidi Adeyemi’s passing on April 22, 2022.

“I am happy that you have shown character and discipline and uplifted your people’s name, values and culture, even when you were in Canada. I am glad you have become a hope of sustaining the Yoruba race,” he added.

The president said his administration will continue working with traditional institutions to implement policies to protect and prosper citizens.

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“The peace and stability of our nation requires inclusiveness. This job is not one you can do alone. We have to pull ourselves together to build a nation of prosperity.

“Our priority is still education and medicare. We want to uplift education and cultural values. Our door is open for participation,” he stated.

President Tinubu told the king that the sons of the Oyo kingdom serving in his office had done exceptionally well, including Ambassador Victor Adeleke, State Chief of Protocol, and Colonel Nurudeen Alowonle Yusuf, the Aide-de-Camp.

Yusuf is the king designate of Ilemonaland in Oyun local council, Kwara State, which traces its ancestry to the Oyo kingdom.

In his remarks, Alaafin assured the president of the traditional council’s support in delivering his mandate to the people.

“Today, I speak not just as the custodian of culture and tradition but as a voice for my people, who are deeply honoured by the audience you have granted us here at the heart of the national leadership.

“Your gracious reception is more than protocol. It is a mark of your character, statesmanship and enduring regard for the traditional institutions. The people of Oyo remember your journey as a man who rose through the crucible of political struggle with unmatched courage and charity. You won many hearts as an activist, strategist, bridge builder and now as the nation’s foremost leader.”

The monarch said Nigerians looked up to the president for a new direction.

“Nigeria looks up to you, not only for leadership but for restoration. For a new vision rooted in justice, equity and inclusive progress. It is in that spirit that I have come to seek your collaboration. Oyo is ready, Yoruba are ready, and Nigerians are ready,” he added.

The king commended the president for bold economic reforms, infrastructural development, instituting social welfare, youth empowerment, and improvement in security and investments in agriculture.

“We understand that national transformation is not by government alone. It is built when ancient wisdom meets modern governance. When institutions, old and new, work hand-in-hand,” he said.

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