Former Ondo State Aide Asserts Alaafin’s Authority Is Limited to Oyo
Doyin Odebowale, a former Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties to the late Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has stated that the Alaafin of Oyo’s authority is confined to Oyo Local Government Area. Odebowale made this assertion in response to the Alaafin’s demand that the Ooni of Ife revoke a chieftaincy title conferred on an Ibadan businessman.
Odebowale emphasized that traditional rulers’ powers are limited to their local governments, and as such, the Alaafin’s jurisdiction does not extend to Ife. He suggested that the Alaafin may have been misled into believing there was a jurisdictional dispute between his office and that of the Ooni. Odebowale attributed the recurring conflicts among traditional rulers to a permissive decadence in the system .
The controversy stems from the Alaafin’s recent demand that the Ooni revoke a chieftaincy title he conferred on an Ibadan-based businessman. The Ooni has reportedly ignored the demand, leading to tensions between the two monarchs .
This development has drawn attention to the roles and limitations of traditional rulers in Nigeria, particularly regarding their authority beyond their immediate domains.
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