Alaafin of Oyo Breaks Silence on Rumoured Feud With Ooni of Ife, Video Goes Viral
- A supposed bitter royal supremacy battle was said to be brewing among two of the highest kings in Yorubaland
- The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, addressed the purported feud between him and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi
- Owoade was crowned the 46th Alaafin of Oyo in April 2025, succeeding the 45th Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who died on April 22, 2022
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering metro.
Oyo, Oyo state - Abimbola Owoade, the Alaafin of Oyo, has said contrary to rife media reports, he is not feuding with Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife.
The Alaafin set the record straight during an interview with BBC News Yoruba, monitored by Legit.ng. The video, which has been watched by over 490,000 people, was published on Monday, August 18.
Source: Twitter
Alaafin explained:
"Bloggers in this time that we live in are only after how to generate their revenue.
"I remember when we were young, they would say Ayinde Barrister and Ayinla Kollington are fighting, which was not so.
"From time immemorial, people have always discussed among themselves that a fraught relationship exist between Alaafin and Ooni. And the reason why they say that is because they see Alaafin and Ooni as the two topmost traditional rulers in Yorubaland. It is for this reason that they think there is a supremacy fight.
"It is rumour mongers that they feel that way, and put such on the internet so as to make money.
"For me, I hold no grudge against anybody and I am not in a rift with anybody. I relate with everybody. And I remember I met Kabiesi Oonirisa in Lagos and we greet each other. There is no problem at all between us. It is the people that often want to make a fuss out of nothing. There is no problem between us at all. It is the people that usually want to create fuss about supremacy."
Source: Twitter
Alaafin debunks rift with Adelabu
In the same vein, the Alaafin trashed rumours of a feud with Adebayo Adelabu.
Oyo-born Adelabu, a former deputy governor, operations of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is currently serving as the federal minister of power of Nigeria.
According to Alaafin, claims that he snubbed Adelabu during his coronation earlier in 2025, are untrue as he did not immediately know that the minister was greeting him.
He said:
"He (Adelabu) is a good man and I admire him. He reciprocates my admiration. There is no time that I telephone him that he would not pick my call as a monarch to a minister.
"You know sometimes, when people do not get close to you, they cannot know the real you."
The Alaafin's interview can be watched in full below:
Read more on Alaafin of Oyo:
- Oyo gets new Alaafin as Oba Owoade ascends throne
- Abimbola Akeem Owoade: 10 facts about Alaafin of Oyo as Makinde gives approval
Supremacy rights in Yorubaland
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a constitutional lawyer based in Abuja, Pelumi Olajengbesi, publicly dismissed claims that the Alaafin of Oyo holds exclusive authority over pan-Yoruba matters, stating that no Supreme Court judgment supports such a position.
Olajengbesi made the assertion in a statement posted on his Facebook page.
Olajengbesi emphasised the historical significance of Ile-Ife, saying it is the origin of Yoruba civilisation.
Source: Legit.ng
