The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, has firmly denied having any rift with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, following rumors sparked by his recent visit to the Oluwo of Iwo.
Social media users interpreted the visit as a deliberate slight to the Ooni, especially after the Oluwo publicly declared the Alaafin as the superior traditional ruler in Yorubaland. This statement intensified speculation about a possible conflict between the two monarchs.
Addressing the controversy in a widely circulated video, Oba Owoade clarified that he had originally planned to visit the Ooni as part of his tour. He explained that he notified his PA and Chief of Staff to coordinate the visit, and they contacted the Ooni’s aides, who later informed them that the Ooni was in Kazakhstan.
“Before we finalized our travel plans, I made it clear that the Ooni of Ife was among the kings I intended to visit,” the Alaafin said in Yoruba. “His PAs confirmed his absence, which is why we rescheduled.”
Oba Owoade stressed that there is no conflict between him and the Ooni. He recalled a recent moment when he and the Soun of Ogbomoso spoke to the Ooni over the phone together.
He urged the public to ignore the speculation, calling it baseless and driven by those seeking to cause discord.
