Vice Chairman, Oyo State Council of Obas, Oba Olushola Alao, has said that there is no supremacy dispute between the new Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade and Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi.
Oba Alao, who is the Olugbon of Ile-Igbon, stated this on Sunday at the palace of Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade while paying a royal visit to him.
News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, recalls that Oba Owoade was crowned on April 5, as the 46th Alaafin of Oyo.
Speaking with journalists shortly after a close door meeting with the Alaafin, Oba Alao, encouraged all traditional rulers in Yoruba land to be united for the development of Yoruba race.
The Olugbon said he had heard a lot of things after the Alaafin’s coronation, “but I will tell you one thing, Alaafin will remain Alaafin of Oyo while Ooni will remain Ooni of Ife. So there is no dispute,” he said.
According to Oba Alao, his visit to the Oyo palace was to pay homage to Alaafin whom he described as “a leader, a man of wisdom, who chooses his words carefully and is equipped academically.
“Due to our past relationship, traditionally, culturally and historically; Olugbo, Aresa and Olukoyi see Alaafin as our affiliation and our tide, we have a very long bond from the days of Oyo empire till date.
“I and Oba Owoade discussed issues that are progresive to Oyo state government, Oyo state traditional council, and to entire Yoruba traditional council,” he said.
Oba Ajao maintained that the objectives of the traditional rulers were to work towards promotion and preservation of Yoruba cultural values,
He added that Oyo State Traditional Council has been working together with the governor, to achieve this mission, noting that there’s no way traditional rulers could do things on their own.
“We must have a synergy with the government and we are doing that. These are parts of the things we share in common.
“And I know for sure that we have a new leader, a new era to move Oyo State Council of Obas forward, to move Oyo state as a whole forward, in synergy with the state government,” Olugbon stated. NAN
