Oore of Moba denies alleged chieftaincy title conferment by Ooni

…says leadership not by empty threat but by service, wisdom

By Rotimi Ojomoyela, Ado-Ekiti

The Oore of Otun-Ekiti and paramount ruler of Mobaland, Oba Adekunle Adeagbo, has dismissed the claims that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, conferred the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on anyone.

The Oore of Moba, in a statement made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Akogun Banjo Ayinde, clarified that there is no evidence to suggest that the Ooni ever conceived or installed anyone as the Okanlomo of Yorubaland.

The monarch stated that the House of Oduduwa transcends Yorubaland, with territories stretching across various African regions, including the Itsekiri in Delta State, the Benin Kingdom, the Ga tribe in Accra, Ghana, the Ashante Kingdom of Kumasi, Ghana, the Luo tribe in Uganda and the Ga-Adangbe tribe in Ghana, among others.

The Oore of Moba challenged anyone with verifiable evidence to come forward and prove that the Ooni has the power to confer the title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland.

This comes amid a media attack by the Alaafin on the Ooni, which the Oore of Moba described as unfounded and lacking merit.

The statement reads in part, “For the avoidance of doubt, Ooni has never conceived it, talk less of installing anybody as the Okanlomo of Yorubaland. We therefore challenge anyone with verifiable evidence that Ooni has traditionally or culturally installed such a title on anyone to present it to the public.

“It is important to note that as the natural father of the Yoruba race and spiritual head of the Odùduwà race worldwide, the Ooni wields unequivocal authority to bestow titles of territorial relevance if and when necessary.

“However, His Majesty’s vision and preoccupation are far greater than minor chieftaincy titles. His focus rests on the larger task of unifying our people across Nigeria and Africa who trace their origin to Ilé-Ifẹ̀ for peace, progress, and development that far transcend such narrow contestations.

“Since ascending the throne of Odùduwà, Ooni has carried out only three official territorial chieftaincy installations, namely, the Odole Oodua, Iyalaje Oodua and Yeye Oodua, all deeply rooted in spiritual and ancestral imperatives, which Baba Ooni had bestowed on Sir Dr Adebutu Kensington, Princess Dr Toyin Kolade and Erelu Abiola Dosumu, respectively.

“Our father Ooni, revered not merely as a king but as a deity across the Oduduwa race,@ of which Yoruba is a notable section, does not distribute titles frivolously. Apart from the proposed Ojaja Smart City, Ibadan, the biggest in Africa, which will provide not less than 20000 jobs.

“Ooni has already established Inagbe Grand Resort in Lagos, Ife Grand Resort and Industrial Hub in Ile-Ife, Ojaja University in Ilorin, Kwara State, Ojajamoore and Ojaja Park and Hotels in Akure, and OjajaMoore in Ede, Ile-Ife and Osogbo in Osun, creating over 5000 direct jobs for Yoruba youths. He is also constructing a massive Ojaja Park in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State. That is leadership.

“We must put a clear end to the fruitless struggle for emperorship, an idea long eroded by constitutional democracy. Where are the great empires of Shongai, Mali of Mansa Musa, the Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire and others today?

“Those eras of conquering territories through invasion by guerrillaism are gone. If anyone must wage war over territorial rights, let it be with colonialists who had taken the absolute powers of monarchies and emperors and replaced them with what they called constitutional governments, not only in Nigeria but globally, and not with Oonirìnsà, who has always stood for unity and progress.

“The descendants of Oduduwa at home and in the diaspora know their natural father, and they know where they all migrated from; hence, there is no contestation over Ooni’s place as the Arole Odùduwà. Leadership is never by forceful enthronement nor by empty threats, but by service, wisdom, and natural acceptability. Look at the way Ooni travels around, showcasing the Africanist substance, and how he creates businesses scattered across Yorubaland, providing jobs for our youths. That is leadership.”

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