Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi has reacted to the 48-hour ultimatum given to him by the Alaafin of Oyo Oba Abimbola Owoade over the conferment of the Okanlomo of Yorubaland title on businessman Dotun Sanusi.
TheNewsGuru.com(TNG) reports that Ooni’s media aide, Moses Olafare, said on Tuesday that the monarch had directed him not to issue an official response to the Alaafin’s demand.
Mr Olafare wrote on Facebook, “My Principal has directed me against issuing a Press Release on the Empty Threat of the Alawada Babasala. I beg to disappoint you gentlemen of the press.
“We cannot dignify the undignified with an official response. We leave the matter to be handled in the public court of opinion as it is already being treated.
“Let’s rather focus on narratives that unite us rather than the ones capable of dividing us.
No Press Release pls. 48 Hours My Foot!!”
On Monday, the Alaafin, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, had issued the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, a 48-hour ultimatum to revoke the Okanlomo of Yorubaland chieftaincy title recently conferred on Ibadan business tycoon, Engineer Dotun Sanusi.
In a statement on signed by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, the Alaafin described the Ooni’s action as an “affront.” He also claimed it was a direct challenge to his authority.
The Alaafin reiterated that he holds the exclusive right to bestow titles that cover the entire Yorubaland.
According to the statement: “The conferment of a Yoruba-wide chieftaincy title by the Ooni is not only ultra vires but an insult to the Titan of Yorubaland.
“The Supreme Court itself has ruled that only the Alaafin has such authority. Yet, the Ooni continues to act above the law, trampling on both tradition and the courts.”
The Alaafin warned that if the Ooni fails to withdraw the title within 48 hours, “consequences will follow.”