- A resurfaced video of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, has reignited discussions on traditional authority in Yorubaland.
- In the video, Oba Sijuwade asserts that his throne is superior to that of the Alaafin of Oyo.
- He claims that the Oba of Benin holds a higher rank than the Alaafin as well.
A resurfaced video of the late Ooni of Ife, Alayeluwa Oba Okunade Sijuwade, has stirred renewed conversations about traditional authority in Yorubaland. In the footage, the monarch boldly declared that his throne was superior to that of the Alaafin of Oyo, stressing that even the Oba of Benin ranked higher than the Alaafin.
In the clip, Oba Sijuwade is seen addressing guests in his palace, where he referenced colonial documents and historical records, including remarks by Governor Sir Hugh Clifford and a Federal Government Gazette of 1904, which, according to him, confirmed his claims.
The monarch criticized Reverend Samuel Johnson’s account of Yoruba history, describing it as misleading and biased in favor of Oyo royalty.
“The Oba of Benin is superior to Alaafin. I will provide you with all the necessary pictures as proof; you can take them away. You can hear him (late Oba Adeyemi) saying Oranyan, he was wrong. Oranmiyan is the correct pronunciation. He was tricky; there was nothing like that,” Oba Sijuwade stated.
He further said: “On Samuel Johnson’s book, the Nigeria governor in 1924, when the Prince of Wales was visiting, said Johnson’s book is fake. He said Johnson was an Oyonman who wrote a book to boost the ego of his people. Yes, it is in the archives. I will provide supporting documents. Alaafin is nowhere around Ooni at all. A Federal Government Gazette of February 28, 1903, revealed that when the Governor of Nigeria invited my grandfather, the Ooni, to settle rifts among kings in Lagos, it was because the Ooni was the owner of the crown and the only legal authority to speak on it. Ooni told the governor that none of his predecessors had ever travelled out of their palace.”
The late monarch also narrated how the governor made special arrangements for his travel:
“For every river to be crossed, a black cow must be sacrificed. The governor agreed to buy 1,000 cows. Ooni said he would board a vehicle to Ede town, where the governor’s entourage would pick him up. The governor promised to send his personal armour instead. The gazette even recorded that the Alaafin of Oyo was living outside his palace and would not return until Ooni came back. Have you ever seen Ooni sit behind Alaafin in all the old pictures I’m showing to you?”
The resurfaced clip comes at a time of renewed tension between the current Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi.
The dispute was triggered after Oba Ogunwusi bestowed the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on businessman Dotun Sanusi during the launch of the 2geda media platform in Ibadan.
Following the event, the Alaafin issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding the Ooni withdraw the title or face consequences. Although the deadline has passed, Oba Ogunwusi has yet to respond.
Through his Director of Media, Bode Durojaye, the Alaafin insisted that historical precedence and British recognition placed Oyo as the leading authority in Yorubaland, emphasizing that the kingdom gained prominence through trade and military strength.
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