The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, has dismissed claims of a disagreement between him and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.
Speculation about a rift surfaced on social media following Oba Owoade’s recent visits to several monarchs in Osun State — including the Olowu of Kuta, Oba Adekunle Oyelude, and the Oluwo of Iwo. Many online commentators interpreted the visits as a deliberate slight against the Ooni of Ife.
In response, Oba Owoade clarified that he had planned to visit the Ooni first but was informed that Oba Ogunwusi was out of the country at the time.
In the now-viral video, Oba Owoade who spoke in Yoruba said: “It is not something you hide. Before we made all preparations for this journey, one of the kings I intended to visit was the Ooni of Ife
“I informed my PA and Chief of Staff earlier to know when we would visit him, and his PAs were also contacted before we were informed he went to Kazakhstan.
“People who do not know about this are the ones spreading rumours on the internet. I have no rift with the Ooni. There was even a time I was with the Soun (of Ogbomoso), and we both spoke with the Ooni on the phone.”
