Alaafin Moves to Publish Supreme Court Ruling After Ooni’s Ultimatum

The palace of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, is reportedly preparing to release a Supreme Court judgment that it says confirms the Alaafin’s exclusive right to confer chieftaincy titles across Yorubaland.

This comes after the expiration of a 48-hour ultimatum issued to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, demanding the withdrawal of the Okanlomo of Yorubaland title recently bestowed on businessman Dotun Sanusi.

According to the Alaafin’s media aide, Bode Durojaiye, the Ooni had acted beyond his jurisdiction, which, he argued, is limited to the former Oranmiyan Local Government Area (now Ife Central, Ife North and Ife South). He insisted that only the Alaafin is legally and traditionally empowered to bestow titles bearing the “Yorubaland” designation.

Palace sources told The PUNCH on Wednesday that the Alaafin had already met with his chiefs in Oyo to deliberate on the matter and may soon unveil the court ruling as proof of his position.

The standoff has sparked heated debate on social media, with some Nigerians urging caution, while others warned of potential consequences if the dispute is not carefully managed.

Adding to the controversy, the Atóbaáse of Yorubaland, Babajide Agunbiade, publicly defended the Alaafin, describing him as the historical and political head of the Yoruba nation. In an open letter, he acknowledged the Ooni’s spiritual importance but emphasized that the Alaafin’s authority—rooted in the legacy of the Oyo Empire, which once dominated territories across Yorubaland, Dahomey, Offa and parts of present-day Kogi State—remains paramount.