Supremacy: ‘I’m Not Competing With Any King’ – Alaafin

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, on Thursday, said he is not in a supremacy battle with any monarch, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi.

In a statement by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, Alaafin said that he remained focused on preserving Yoruba culture and serving his people, not engaging in rivalry.

According to the statement, Oba Owoade “is a veritable custodian of Yoruba culture and tradition,” and is committed to the welfare and development of his people.”

Durojaiye added that the monarch will not “compromise tradition, culture or the progress of his people for a pot of porridge.”

Highlighting the Alaafin’s philosophy of leadership, the statement quoted Alexander Graham Bell: “The most successful men in the end are those whose success is the result of steady accretion.”

It described the Alaafin as a monarch driven by results, whose reign has brought prosperity, security, and unity to the Oyo kingdom.

“He does not need to get into any battle for supremacy with any Oba, either in Yorubaland or anywhere in the universe,” the statement reiterated, describing the Alaafin as “an indomitable monarch” who combines humility with royal duty.

The statement further traced the historical and spiritual significance of the Alaafin’s position, noting his initiation into the mysteries of Yoruba deities like Ifa and Sango, and his symbolic role as “Ekeji Orisha” (second-in-command to the gods).

It also referenced the Alaafin’s ancestral lineage to Oranmiyan, son of Okanbi and grandson of Oduduwa, founder of the Yoruba race. Oyo, the statement noted, rose to prominence due to its wealth, military prowess, and strategic leadership, becoming the largest empire in West Africa.

The Alaafin’s administration, the statement concluded, continues to uphold the rich cultural legacy of the Oyo Empire while adapting to modern challenges, without losing sight of tradition, legitimacy, and the people’s welfare.