In a move set to rattle the foundations of Yoruba traditional hierarchy, a prominent Ekiti elder and Agba Awo has publicly challenged the historical authority of the Alafin of Oyo, claiming the monarch lacks a legitimate crown and asserting that Ekiti’s ancestral roots lie solely in Ile-Ife. In an explosive interview conducted by Yorubadun Online TV and monitored by Gistlife, the elder dismissed the notion of Oyo’s supremacy, tracing the current state of the Oyo throne back to the 19th-century fall of the Old Oyo Empire. He alleged that the original sacred crown belonging to the Alafin was seized by Northern invaders during the wars that devastated the region and led to the loss of Ilorin. “The whole world knows what I’m saying,” the Agba Awo stated during the broadcast, pointing to the Alafin’s frequent use of the Fila over a traditional beaded crown as evidence of a lost heritage. He argued that any attempt by an Alafin to secure a “true” crown would require a return to Ile-Ife, a journey he suggested is avoided due to historical pride and the “shame” of acknowledging Ife’s spiritual seniority. The elder further criticized Oyo’s historical role in regional stability, blaming the empire’s past leadership for the internal collapses that allowed Ilorin to fall out of Yoruba hands. He characterized the Oyo people as “Ajomale”—those who believe they are wiser than their peers—while reaffirming that the Ekiti people remain steadfast in their identity as direct descendants of Ile-Ife, independent of Oyo influence. The Alafin’s palace has yet to issue a formal rebuttal to these provocative claims, which have quickly gone viral, reigniting age-old debates over the “Source” of the Yoruba race and the legitimate distribution of beaded crowns among traditional rulers. Post navigation ‘We Are Now Bandits Living In Darkness’ — Economist Sarah Ibrahim Blasts FG Over Economic Hardship, Security At Ibadan Opposition Summit Samson Opeyemi Fatola Blasts Makinde Over Alliance with “Confused Elements”
