The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has raised concerns over growing rivalries and supremacy battles among Yoruba traditional rulers, warning that these conflicts threaten the unity, cultural heritage, and developmental future of the Yoruba people.
Adams, who is also the National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), made his remarks on Thursday during the 2026 Oodua Festival held at the historic Enuwa Palace Square in Ile-Ife, Osun State. He lamented the alarming level of disunity among royal fathers, describing it as dangerous to the collective interests of Yorubaland.
“In recent times, the level of disunity among traditional rulers has become a pressing concern,” Adams said. “I am duty-bound to sound the alarm that this ugly development threatens our cultural heritage, social cohesion, and developmental prospects.”
He warned that internal rivalries and open contests for supremacy are gradually weakening the traditional institution, historically a cornerstone of Yoruba identity, governance, and unity. Adams urged monarchs to abandon these conflicts and unite to prevent external infiltration and protect the region’s collective interests.
The OPC leader called on political leaders, respected elders, and Yoruba intellectuals to intervene and mediate the disputes among traditional rulers, stressing that unity would strengthen the traditional institution and promote peace, stability, and sustainable development across Yoruba communities.
The Oodua Festival, which draws cultural stakeholders from across the Southwest and beyond, served as a platform to renew calls for the protection of Yoruba heritage and the reinforcement of unity at all levels of leadership amid growing internal divisions.
