The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi (Ojaja II), has described the 48-hour ultimatum given to him by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, over the Okanlomo of Yorubaland title as an ’empty threat’.
Otunba Moses Olafare, Ooni’s spokesman, described Oba Owoade as a comedian. “My Principal has directed me against issuing a press release on the empty threat of the Alawada Babasala”, he said.
He also dismissed the 48-hour ultimatum issued by the Alaafin over the conferment of the chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on business magnate, Engineer Dotun Sanusi (Ilaji).
The Alaafin had accused the Ooni of overstepping his bounds by bestowing a title covering the entire Yorubaland on Sanusi.
Oba Owoade argued that only the Alaafin holds the exclusive right to confer such honours.
Reacting on Monday in a post on his Facebook page, Olafare said his principal had directed him not to dignify what he described as “an empty threat” with a formal press release.
“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 undignifyable with an official response,” he said.
Olafare stressed that the matter was already being subjected to the court of public opinion, adding that the Ooni’s palace would not be distracted from its focus on peace and unity.
“We leave the matter to be handled in the public court of opinion, as it is already being treated. Let us rather focus on narratives that unite us, rather than the ones capable of dividing us,” he said.
The Ooni’s aide also brushed aside the ultimatum issued by the Alaafin, saying, “48 hours my foot!”
