A resurfaced viral video featuring the late Ooni of Ife, Alayeluwa Oba Okunade Sijuwade, has ignited conversations across social media, as the revered monarch boldly asserted the supremacy of the Ooni’s throne over that of the Alaafin of Oyo. In his statement, Oba Sijuwade went further to declare that even the Oba of Benin holds a throne of greater rank and historical reverence than the Alaafin. The late monarch made these remarks during a gathering in his palace, where he addressed visitors and referenced both colonial records and government documents to back his claims.
In the footage, Oba Sijuwade carefully laid out his perspective, stating that British colonial authorities, particularly Sir Hugh Clifford, who served as Governor, and the official Federal Government Gazette of 1904, recognized the Ooni of Ife’s superior position when compared to the Alaafin of Oyo. He stressed that these records were not mere claims but legally documented evidence preserved in the archives. According to him, the recognition given to the Ooni by colonial leadership reaffirmed the ancient and sacred status of the throne of Ife, which is traditionally regarded as the cradle of the Yoruba people.
The late Ooni strongly criticized Reverend Samuel Johnson’s widely referenced book on Yoruba history, describing it as a flawed and biased account created to elevate the prestige of Oyo royalty. He claimed the book contained misleading narratives that unfairly portrayed the Alaafin as the central figure in Yoruba history, whereas in reality, Ife had long been established as the spiritual and political nucleus of the Yoruba civilization. He insisted that even colonial officials and later Nigerian authorities had dismissed Johnson’s account as inaccurate and prejudiced, pointing out that Johnson himself was of Oyo descent, which influenced the narrative in favor of his people.
Quoting directly from his palace audience, Oba Sijuwade remarked: “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 (the late Alaafin Oba Adeyemi) saying Oranyan, he was wrong. Oranmiyan is the correct pronunciation. He was tricky; there was nothing like that.” He further emphasized that the book authored by Samuel Johnson had already been declared unreliable as far back as 1924 when the then Governor of Nigeria made it clear during the visit of the Prince of Wales that Johnson’s writings were not accurate representations of Yoruba history.
Oba Sijuwade also referenced historical records that highlighted the Ooni’s unique role in Yoruba leadership. He explained that a Federal Government Gazette dated February 28, 1903, specifically documented how the Ooni of Ife’s authority was invoked when colonial administrators sought resolution for disputes among Yoruba kings in Lagos. According to him, the Gazette clearly recorded that the Ooni, regarded as the spiritual owner of the Yoruba crown, was the only figure whose consent and intervention were sought by the colonial government. This, he argued, reaffirmed that the Ooni’s throne remained the highest in Yoruba tradition, both spiritually and politically.
He also shared anecdotes of the extraordinary arrangements made for his predecessors whenever they had to leave the palace. For instance, he recounted how colonial authorities had to provide a thousand cows for sacrifices whenever the Ooni’s travels required crossing rivers, as part of preserving ancient rites. “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,” he narrated. The monarch insisted that even historical photographs from colonial archives revealed that the Ooni always maintained a position of prominence above the Alaafin in every official gathering.
According to Oba Sijuwade, another detail recorded in the Gazette was that during one of these historical moments, the Alaafin of Oyo was said to have vacated his palace and refused to return until the Ooni had completed his journey and returned to Ile-Ife. He rhetorically asked his visitors: “Have you ever seen Ooni sit behind Alaafin in all the old pictures I’m showing to you?” This, he argued, was proof of the Ooni’s supreme authority over other Yoruba monarchs.
The resurfacing of this video has become particularly significant as it comes amid the ongoing feud between the current Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, and the present Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi. The tension between the two powerful Yoruba monarchs escalated recently after the Ooni conferred the prestigious title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on businessman Dotun Sanusi during the unveiling of the 2geda media platform in Ibadan. This decision reportedly did not sit well with the Alaafin, who viewed it as an encroachment on his authority.
In retaliation, the Alaafin of Oyo issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding that the Ooni revoke the title or face “unspecified consequences.” Despite the expiration of the deadline, the Ooni has yet to respond publicly, further fueling speculation and heated debate among Yoruba indigenes, cultural enthusiasts, and political observers. The development has reignited old rivalries between the two thrones, with each camp citing history, culture, and colonial records to support their side of the argument.
Through his Director of Media, Bode Durojaye, the Alaafin has doubled down on his position, insisting that the Alaafin’s throne historically commanded greater political and military power among the Yoruba. He argued that Oyo’s dominance in trade, commerce, and warfare elevated it above other Yoruba kingdoms, and that even the British colonial administration formally recognized the Alaafin as the head of the Yoruba Nation. This official stance, he said, contradicts the claims made by the late Ooni in the resurfaced video.
As the debate rages on, the video of Oba Sijuwade continues to stir deep emotions, highlighting not only the historical rivalry between Ile-Ife and Oyo but also the sensitive nature of Yoruba traditional leadership in contemporary times. The discussion has now moved beyond cultural pride into a wider debate about how history is interpreted, recorded, and remembered within Yoruba society.
See the viral video below;
@golcatvOba of Benin is senior to Alaafin of Oyo - Late Ooni Sijuwade #ooniofife #ooni #alaafinofoyo #oyo #yoruba
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