Former Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties to the late Ondo State Governor, Doyin Odebowale, has criticized Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, over his confrontation with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, regarding a chieftaincy title recently conferred on Ibadan businessman Dotun Sanusi
Appearing on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Odebowale argued that traditional rulers have no constitutional authority beyond their local government jurisdictions and are subordinate to elected council chairmen.
“With respect to most of these rulers now, there is a misapprehension of roles. They want to be addressed as Kabiyesi, but they are not. They are under the local government chairman in their respective localities. So this idea of somebody sitting in Oyo and legislating on what happens in Ile-Ife is a misnomer,” he said.
He suggested the Alaafin may have been misled into believing there was a jurisdictional dispute with the Ooni, adding, “I don’t see any justification for this distraction.”
Odebowale lamented what he called “permissive decadence” among monarchs, accusing many of abandoning traditional values in pursuit of titles and recognition.
“It appears to me that they are in a hurry to discard tradition. They are so happy when they are addressed as Oba, assistant pastor, or Alhaji; that is total abnegation of traditional values,” he said.
Providing historical context, Odebowale noted that British colonial policies downgraded powerful empires into stools, reducing monarchs’ authority through chieftaincy laws.
“By government structure, their powers do not go beyond their local government. The Ooni of Ife is in Osun State with his traditional council. The Alaafin of Oyo is in Oyo State with a traditional council. By Oyo State chieftaincy law, only four Obas are recognised as imperial majesties. The Alaafin cannot act beyond his local government. By law, he is under his local government chairman,” he explained.
The remarks follow last weekend’s dispute after the Ooni conferred the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on Sanusi. The Alaafin issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding the title’s revocation, insisting he alone holds authority over Yoruba chieftaincy matters.
The Ooni’s spokesperson, Moses Olafare, dismissed the threat as “empty,” while the Alaafin’s aide, Bode Durojaiye, later clarified that the monarch was not seeking supremacy over other rulers but acting to protect Yoruba tradition.
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