Alaafin Asserts Sole Authority to Confer Yorubaland Chieftaincy Titles

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, declared that only the Oyo throne holds the historical and legal right to bestow chieftaincy titles bearing the name “Yorubaland”. He made the statement on Sunday during the installation ceremony at the Aganju Forecourt of the Oyo Palace. The event honoured former Zamfara State Governor Senator Abdul-Aziz Yari as Obaloyin of Yorubaland and Seyi Tinubu as Okanlomo of Yorubaland.

Oba Owoade emphasised that such titles represent the entire Yoruba nation, not a single town or kingdom. He insisted they must come from an authority with jurisdiction spanning all of Yorubaland. Colonial records, post-independence councils, scholarly works, and Supreme Court rulings support this position, he added.

The monarch described chieftaincy as a serious duty rooted in history and responsibility, not mere decoration or favour. He urged the new titleholders to serve with humility, courage, loyalty, and selflessness to foster unity and dignity across Yorubaland.

Historical context highlights the Oyo throne’s central role in Yoruba organisation from early times. By 1914, Oyo Province covered the largest area in Southern Nigeria at 14,381 square miles, reflecting its wide-reaching influence.

The Alaafin clarified that while all thrones deserve respect in dignity, their functions differ by tradition and law. He spoke to restore order amid assumptions about authority in conferring collective titles.
This reaffirmation underscores efforts to preserve Yoruba cultural structure and cohesion through established traditional leadership.