Amidst the recurring supremacy tussle defining the traditional institution in the South West, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, has called for a re-evaluation of the roles of traditional rulers, specifically challenging the notion that historical empires equate to modern sovereignty.
Temitope Ajayi, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity in a post on Facebook has cautioned monarchs against clinging to the glory of the past declaring that the era of the Oyo Empire is long over.
The Presidential aide’s intervention comes amidst a deepening rift between the newly installed Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, and the state government over the chairmanship of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
In a statement released on Monday, Ajayi rebuked the narratives of imperial superiority often deployed in the battle for seniority among Yoruba monarchs.
Drawing parallels to global history, he argued that historical conquests no longer translate to modern sovereign authority.
“We are no longer in the era of Oyo Empire. Rome and United Kingdom that once ruled more than half of the world as empires can no longer claim sovereignty over the former colonies,” Ajayi stated.
“Times have changed. We are now in a new world.”
The statement strikes at the heart of the current dispute, where the Alaafin’s camp has historically laid claim to the permanent chairmanship of the Council of Obas—a privilege rooted in the pre-colonial reach of the Old Oyo Empire.
Ajayi’s commentary challenges this historical basis for supremacy, asserting that the political boundaries of the past do not grant authority over modern Yorubaland.
“Oyo Empire now belongs to history and the whole of what we now know as Yorubaland was never under the rule of Alaafin,” he added.
The controversy reached a fever pitch earlier this week when Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, inaugurated a new rotational leadership system for the Council of Obas. Under this new arrangement, the chairmanship will rotate between the Alaafin of Oyo, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, and the Soun of Ogbomosoland.
The Olubadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, was sworn in as the pioneer chairman, a move that the Alaafin of Oyo openly rejected. Oba Owoade I was conspicuously absent from the inauguration, with the palace issuing a statement claiming the governor did not consult the monarch and arguing that the Alaafin’s permanent chairmanship was established by law and custom.
Observers view the Presidential aide’s statement as a signal for traditional rulers to align with democratic realities rather than historical hierarchies.
Beyond the historical correction, Ajayi urged the traditional rulers to pivot towards a modern role that prioritizes the welfare of their subjects over titles.
“The society will function well if the current natural rulers in Yorubaland understand their roles in modern society,” Ajayi noted. “Our kings should now work collaboratively to preserve peace, unity and development in their communities whilst preserving our cultural values.”
As the rotational chairmanship takes effect in Oyo State, it remains to be seen if the feuding monarchs will heed this call for collaboration or if the battle for historical supremacy will continue to divide the council.
