The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, has firmly denied being involved in any supremacy tussle with fellow traditional rulers, dismissing a viral video circulating online as entirely misleading.
In a statement released by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, in Ibadan, the monarch described the content creator behind the YouTube video from Awikonko TV as a “pathological liar” intent on spreading falsehoods.
The video had alleged that Oba Owoade instigated an attack on the father of a monarch from Oyotunji Village in the United States, suggesting the act was part of an ongoing rivalry with the Ooni of Ife. Oba Owoade categorically denied the claims, labeling them as unfounded and malicious.
He clarified that Oyotunji Village, which has historical and ancestral ties to Oyo, has maintained cordial relations with the Oyo Palace, having paid visits during the reign of the late Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, and again after his own ascension to the throne.
The Alaafin emphasized his commitment to the unity, growth, and preservation of Yoruba culture, stating that his role as a traditional ruler is centered on cultural leadership—not competition.
“My responsibility is to safeguard and promote the Yoruba heritage, not to partake in fictitious rivalries,” the statement concluded. “There is absolutely no supremacy battle with any monarch.”
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