IBADAN— THE President of the Yoruba Council Worldwide, YCW, Aare Hassan Oladotun has decried the ongoing feud between the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, describing it a brazen disregard for Yoruba traditions and values.
Oladotun, who was reacting to a viral video, which showed an awkward interaction between the two traditional rulers at a recent public event, called for unity and respect among Yoruba monarchs.
He expressed concern that such public displays not only undermined their authority but also threatened the integrity of the entire Traditional institutions in Yorubaland.
Oladotun said: “It is terrible to see how our royal father, the Alaafin of Oyo, is behaving towards the Ooni in public. This is most embarrassing and detrimental to the entire Traditional institutions in Yorubaland.
“I would like us to consider the earlier video, which displayed harmonious coexistence and pure exchange of pleasantries. At the hall, courtesy demands that the Alaafin of Oyo still greet the Ooni of Ife.
“It is time we speak out as concerned stakeholders in Yorubaland and thereafter set rules of engagement for all our Obas on modus operandi.”
Ooni, Alaafin Abuja meeting cordial — Ooni’s palace
Meanwhile, the palace of Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has described the viral video depicting an encounter between the Ooni and Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, at a meeting in Abuja as incomplete and edited to misrepresent the peaceful interaction between the two monarchs.
The two monarchs were guests at the West Africa Economic Summit held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja on Saturday.
Setting the records straight, the Ooni’s spokesperson, Moses Olafare said the two traditional rulers have a peaceful interaction when the Alaafin proceeded to greet the Ooni who was at the venue before the Alaafin.
While blaming the Oyo Legacies, a media wing of the palace for posting an edited video on the social media to create the misrepresentation, he acknowledged that the true situation at the event showed that Alaafin upon arrival went straight to greet the Ooni before returning to his seat the VIP centre before proceeding to the main stage.
He said: “The Ooni of Ife had already been ushered in and was majestically seated at the VIP waiting room of the conference centre alongside some of his business associates and friends
‘The Alaafin of Oyo few minutes later arrived with his own royal candour and walked straight to the Ooni’s seat for royal greetings while the Arole Oduduwa reciprocated the honour accorded him by the Alaafin as he rose to welcome his brother traditional ruler while both exchange pleasantries and few jokes before Alaafin eventually went to take his seat, which he had earlier bypassed alongside his amiable queen.
“When they were both called upon to move into the main hall of the conference centre, it was the Ooni that first left the VIP waiting room, and almost same time followed by the Alaafin to take their respective seats officially tagged in their names inside the hall where the event was ready to be kicked off by President Bola Tinubu.”
VANGUARD.
