The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has intervened in the escalating rift between the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, over the controversial conferment of the Okanlomo of Yorubaland chieftaincy title.
The feud erupted on Monday after the Alaafin issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Ooni, demanding the revocation of the title conferred on Ibadan-based businessman, Dotun Sanusi. The Alaafin insisted that only the Oyo monarchy holds the exclusive right to bestow a pan-Yoruba title such as Okanlomo of Yorubaland.
However, the Ooni’s spokesperson, Moses Olafare, dismissed the ultimatum, describing it as an “empty threat.” He said the Ife monarch had instructed him not to engage in a war of words, instead leaving the matter “to the court of public opinion.”
Speaking to journalists in Lagos on Tuesday, Iba Gani Adams revealed that he had already reached out to Yoruba elders and stakeholders to prevent the dispute from spiraling further. He emphasized that unity within Yorubaland must not be undermined by the crisis.
“This is an issue between two fathers,” Adams said. “I have been contacting Yoruba leaders to find ways to resolve it. We don’t want the unity of Yorubaland to be tampered with. I will be in touch with both monarchs to ensure peace.”
The Aare Ona Kakanfo, who enjoys long-standing relationships with both palaces, stressed the need for reconciliation, warning against the reopening of “old wounds” that could destabilize Yoruba cultural harmony.
He added:
“Before I became Aare Onakakanfo, I was very close to the palace of the Ooni and equally close to the late Alaafin. I see them as two fathers, and when two fathers are at loggerheads, children must step in to make peace.”
Adams called on both cultural custodians and political figures to work collectively in brokering peace, stressing that the matter was “long overdue for resolution.” He expressed confidence that the feud would be settled soon, ensuring that the dignity and unity of the Yoruba nation remain intact.
The intervention of Gani Adams has been widely welcomed by observers, who see his role as pivotal in calming tensions between the two most revered thrones in Yoruba history.
