23rd August 2025
By Peter Omopo
The late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, once declared that his throne held greater authority than that of the Alaafin of Oyo, even adding that the Oba of Benin ranked above the Alaafin in historical hierarchy.
In a resurfaced video that went viral on Thursday, the revered monarch, who reigned until his passing in 2015, could be seen addressing his subjects and visitors in the Ife palace. He cited colonial records and historical documents to support his claims.
Oba Sijuwade pointed to a 1903 Federal Government Gazette and the testimony of then-Governor Sir Hugh Clifford, who, during the 1924 visit of the Prince of Wales, dismissed Reverend Samuel Johnson’s History of the Yorubas as biased and inaccurate. According to the Ooni, Clifford had branded Johnson’s account as an attempt to elevate the Oyo dynasty above its true historical place.
“The Oba of Benin is superior to Alaafin,” Oba Sijuwade declared in the video. “The 1903 Federal Gazette and archival records prove it. My grandfather, the Ooni, was regarded as the rightful custodian of the crown. Even governors acknowledged that none of his predecessors ever left the palace except under sacred terms.”
He recounted how his grandfather was persuaded by colonial authorities to mediate disputes among Yoruba kings in Lagos. The governor, he said, agreed to unusual demands—including the sacrifice of black cows for every river crossed—to secure the Ooni’s journey, underscoring his stature.
“All the kings from across the country, including those from Asaba and Warri, abandoned their palaces to welcome Ooni in Lagos,” Sijuwade narrated. “The governor himself recorded that even the Alaafin could not return home until Ooni had done so.”
The archival video resurfaced amid renewed tension between the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, and the current Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade. The latest flashpoint emerged after Ooni Ogunwusi conferred the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on businessman Dotun Sanusi at an event in Ibadan.
Oba Owoade, through his media aide Bode Durojaye, condemned the move, giving the Ooni a 48-hour ultimatum to withdraw the title. Though the deadline expired on Wednesday, the Ooni has not responded publicly.
In a counter-statement on Thursday, the Alaafin asserted his throne’s supremacy, stressing that Oyo’s historical prominence stemmed from its vast empire, trade dominance, and military strength. He also argued that the British themselves recognised the Alaafin as “the Superior Head of the Yoruba Nation” through a signed treaty.
“Alaafin has sworn to his ancestors to defend Yoruba tradition,” the statement read. “He would never engage in a supremacy battle, but his position remains undisputed.”
The supremacy debate between Yoruba monarchs—long a point of cultural and political sensitivity—has again resurfaced, with historical records and modern interpretations continuing to fuel rival claims.
