The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has stepped in to ease the tension between the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, following a dispute over the conferment of a chieftaincy title on Ibadan businessman, Dotun Sanusi.
The Ooni had conferred the title of Okanlomo of Oodua on Sanusi during the unveiling of a new social media and business networking platform, 2geda, held on Saturday, the 16th of August, 2025, at Ilaji Hotel and Sports Resort, Akanran, Ibadan.
The move triggered a rift, with the Alaafin issuing a 48-hour ultimatum demanding that the Ooni withdraw the title or face repercussions.
In a swift reaction, Ooni’s spokesman, Moses Olafare, dismissed the threat, insisting that the matter was already before “the court of public opinion.”
Breaking his silence in a statement on Wednesday, the 20th of August, Adams urged calm and appealed for reconciliation. He cautioned that divisions between two of Yorubaland’s foremost monarchs could give room for “external forces” to exploit the situation.
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“I have reached out to some Yoruba elders on the matter. The aim is to rally them to intervene in the growing tension between the two Imperial Majesties, the Ooni of Ife and the Alaafin of Oyo.
“The two monarchs are our pride in Yorubaland and indeed in Africa. We cannot afford to have disunity between them.
So, I have reached out to the two revered monarchs in Africa and palaces, that the issue should be resolved amicably, and we should sustain peace in Yorubaland.
“Yoruba land is undergoing some pockets of insecurity now. The two prominent monarchs have roles to play in all these, and we cannot afford to allow external enemies to infiltrate us. If there is no crack in the wall, the lizard cannot penetrate it.”
Adams stressed that both the Ooni and the Alaafin remain pillars of Yoruba tradition and heritage, adding that lasting peace between them is crucial to the unity and stability of the region.