•Alaafin of Oyo, Ifa priest and Ooni of Ife
Renowned Ifa priest, Ifayemi Elebuibon, has intervened in the ongoing controversy between the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, urging both monarchs to prioritise peace over rivalry.
Speaking in an interview with Bamidele Adeyanju, popularly known as Agbaletu, Elebuibon referenced history to stress that the origins of Oyo cannot be separated from Ile-Ife, just as Ife’s history cannot be told without Oyo.
“If they can give room to peace, all these should not be happening. Oranmiyan, who established Oyo, came from Ile-Ife. There is no way you can tell the history of Oyo without tracing it to Ife, and there is no way you can tell the history of Ife without mentioning Oyo.”
He cautioned against unnecessary conflict, particularly from a monarch who has only recently ascended the throne.
Elebuibon maintained that their focus should be on unity rather than competition for seniority.
“Someone became a king not up to a year, not up to six months — is it trouble he ought to be causing? All that should matter to them is how there will be peace everywhere and not seniority fights.”
Drawing from the Ifa divination system, he emphasised that Ile-Ife holds a distinct and unrivalled position as the cradle of Yoruba civilisation.
Speaking in Yoruba, he said partly, “Ifè sì ni Olú. Olúkólú kan kìí tó Ooni. Enìkan kìí gbá yekete k’ótó Erin. Èeyàn kìí yèkètè k’ótó ẹfòn. Olúkólú kan o tó Ooni. Baa se ba nun.”
His explanation, rooted in Ifa divination system, summarised to mean Ife is an Olu (ruler), which no other Olu can be on the status with.
Elebuibon’s Yoruba chant also likened the Ooni of Ife’s supremacy to as big as an elephant among other animals.
This comes in the wake of heightened exchanges between the two foremost traditional rulers in Yorubaland.
Recall that the Alaafin of Oyo had challenged the authority of the Ooni of Ife to confer the chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on Ibadan businessman, Dotun Sanusi.
The Alaafin insisted that only he possesses the power to bestow such a pan-Yoruba title and subsequently gave the Ooni a 48-hour ultimatum to revoke it or face consequences.
In response, Moses Olafare, Director of Media and Public Affairs to the Ooni of Ife, dismissed the threat. He said the Ooni would not dignify the statement with an official response, describing the ultimatum as “empty.”
Olafare explained that his principal considered the Alaafin’s warning unworthy of a reply and had chosen to leave the matter to public opinion.
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