A major conflict has erupted between two of Yorubaland’s most prominent monarchs, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
The dispute centers on the Ooni’s recent conferment of the “Okanlomo of Yorubaland” title on Ibadan business magnate, Engineer Dotun Sanusi.
In a strongly-worded statement issued by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, on Monday, the Alaafin condemned the action as an “affront” and a “direct challenge” to his authority.
The Alaafin firmly asserted that he holds the exclusive, historically-recognized right to bestow chieftaincy titles that cover the entire expanse of Yorubaland.
The statement declared the Ooni’s conferment “not only ultra vires (beyond his legal power) but an insult to the Titan of Yorubaland.”
Citing legal backing, the palace referred to a Supreme Court ruling which it claims affirms that “only the Alaafin has such authority.”
The statement accused the Ooni of “acting above the law and trampling on both tradition and the courts.”
The Alaafin has issued a stern 48-hour ultimatum for the Ooni to revoke the title bestowed upon Sanusi, warning that failure to comply will result in unspecified “consequences.”
This ultimatum escalates a long-simmering tension over protocol and hierarchy within the Yoruba traditional institution.
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
A major conflict has erupted between two of Yorubaland’s most prominent monarchs, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi.