The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi has said he is not interested in any supremacy battle with any king because his interest is to unite Yorubas and other tribes within the larger House of Oduduwa. According to Ooni’s Director of Media and Public Affairs, Mr Moses Olafare,“Let me emphasize for the umpteenth time that Kabiyesi Ooni is less concerned over any supremacy hullabaloo, his only interest for now on the sacred throne of Oduduwa is to explore measures through which the collective interest and genuine unity among Yoruba and other tribes within the larger House of Oduduwa can be enhanced.”
This is coming less than 24 hours after the Esogban of Benin and Odionwere of the kingdom (Traditional Head), Chief David Edebiri on Monday said the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo goofed when he said the Oba of Benin was third in the hierarchy of Obas. Edebiri explained that the Ooni of Ife was a son of the Oba of Benin.
In a related development, the Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo has said he maintains his stand on the ranking of Yoruba Obas, and said he is ready to release evidence to back his claims.The Alake had listed the other Obas below the Ooni to include the Alaafin of Oyo and the Oba of Benin as second and third, respectively, while he listed his own title, the Alake of Egbaland as the fourth while the Awujale of Ijebuland occupies the lowest rung of ladder. Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media Affairs, Chief Lai Labode, Alake said he does not want to engage in controversy with anyone.
