Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has weighed into the growing dispute over the rotational chairmanship of the Oyo State Council of Obas, urging traditional rulers to put aside rivalry and focus on the worsening security situation in the South West.
The disagreement centres on the leadership of the council, following Governor Seyi Makinde’s decision to appoint the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, as chairman. Under the new arrangement, the chairmanship is expected to rotate among the Olubadan, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, and the Soun of Ogbomoso.
However, Igboho described the tension between revered monarchs as disappointing, noting that their stools played key roles in the historical evolution of the Yoruba people. He warned that internal disputes over positions could distract leaders from the real and urgent challenge—rising insecurity across Yorubaland.
According to him, bandits, terrorists and other criminal elements have increasingly taken over forests in the South West, citing the recent killings of security guards in the Old Oyo National Park and other parts of Oyo State. He stressed that this reality should unite, not divide, traditional rulers.
Igboho also appealed to other respected Yoruba monarchs, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the Olugbon of Orile Igbon, Oba Francis Olushola Alao, to intervene and help calm tensions surrounding the council’s leadership.
He argued that while old empires in Yorubaland have evolved into modern traditional institutions, historical facts should not become tools for conflict. Instead, monarchs should close ranks, protect Yoruba territory, promote unity and support development efforts across the South West.
“Traditional rulers should be symbols of cohesion, peace and growth,” he said, adding that it was painful to see disputes over positions at a time when farmers and rural dwellers were being violently attacked.
Group Insists Alaafin’s Primacy Is Non-Negotiable
Meanwhile, a socio-cultural group, Egbe Omo Oyo Niiwa Nitooto, has firmly rejected the Oyo State Obas and Chiefs Council Bill that introduced rotational leadership within the council.
In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Mr Abbas Ayomide, the group described the bill as a direct assault on Yoruba history and tradition. It insisted that the primacy of the Alaafin of Oyo is settled by history and cannot be altered by legislation or political arrangements.
The group argued that tradition is not subject to democratic rotation, stressing that the Oyo Empire once stood as a dominant power, with the Alaafin at its apex. According to them, no executive decision can rewrite that legacy.
“This is not a struggle for power,” the group said, “but a refusal to allow the distortion of our heritage under the guise of reform.”
Ladoja Urges Nigerians to Be Security-Conscious
Amid the controversy, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, shifted attention to national security, urging Nigerians to be more vigilant in their daily activities.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by Khalifa Sheikh Habeebullahi Muhyideen Ajani Bello at his palace in Ibadan, Oba Ladoja warned that Nigeria is facing serious security challenges that require collective responsibility.
He emphasised that security is no longer the duty of government alone, calling on citizens to remain alert, mindful of their surroundings and proactive about their personal safety.
According to the monarch, insecurity has become a global issue, and Nigerians must adapt by exercising caution and awareness in their day-to-day lives to protect themselves and their communities.
