The lingering disagreement between the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, reportedly influenced the Osun State Government’s decision to issue a cautionary letter to the Oluwo over alleged inflammatory statements.
A government source told Saturday PUNCH that the administration was concerned that the monarch’s comments about traditional worshippers and fellow traditional rulers, particularly the Ooni, could trigger attacks and retaliatory violence between residents of Iwo and Ile-Ife.
A special adviser to Governor Ademola Adeleke, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the letter was intended to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order rather than punish the Oluwo.
The government had accused the monarch of making statements capable of heightening communal and religious tensions, warning that such conduct posed a threat to peace and stability in the state.
In the letter, with reference number CD.17/1/VOL.VIII/377, the government directed the Oluwo to stop attacking adherents of other religions, refrain from making remarks against fellow traditional rulers and preserve the cultural values represented by his throne.
The governor’s aide said the administration feared that any attack on Iwo indigenes in Ile-Ife, allegedly triggered by the monarch’s comments, could provoke retaliation and escalate into a wider communal crisis.
He explained that the government initially considered issuing a formal query but eventually settled for a cautionary letter, hoping the monarch would take the advice without further confrontation.
The source also dismissed suggestions that the government intended to remove the Oluwo from the throne, insisting that no such plan was being considered.
Meanwhile, efforts were reportedly underway by government officials and community stakeholders to ease tensions and reconcile the two monarchs.
The National President of Jama’at Ta’awunil Muslimeen, Daood Molaasan, described the disagreement between the Ooni and the Oluwo as deep-rooted. He said the Oluwo’s opposition to traditional religious practices had not gone down well with some traditional rulers, particularly amid his strained relationship with the Ooni.
Molaasan disclosed that a government official from Iwo, who is also a prominent member of Adeleke’s cabinet, had met with his group to seek the withdrawal of a lawsuit filed against the governor and the state government over the warning letter.
The suit, marked FHC/OS/CS/205/2026, was filed at the Federal High Court in Osogbo by the Tawunu Human Rights Initiative, an arm of the organisation.
He said the meeting took place on Monday night in Iwo after the governor reportedly asked the cabinet member to intervene. Following the appeal, the group’s legal team was advised to suspend further action on the case.
However, the Ooni’s Private Secretary, Yusuf Adetoyese, said the palace was not consulted before the government issued the letter.
He explained that although the palace received a copy in the Ooni’s capacity as Permanent Chairman of the Osun State Traditional Council, it was unaware of the correspondence until it arrived.
Adetoyese maintained that the government acted independently based on its assessment of the Oluwo’s statements and cautioned against dragging the Ooni into the controversy.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dosu Babatunde, said the state government stood by the contents of the letter.
He stressed that Nigeria’s constitutional framework guarantees freedom of religion and that traditional rulers must respect the rights of citizens to practise their chosen faiths.
The Oluwo’s Press Secretary, Ibrahim Alli, declined to comment when contacted.
Speaking at the Odun Olodumare festival in Iwo on Monday, Oba Akanbi denied being opposed to Yoruba culture and traditions, saying he would continue to promote them.
He urged the government to consult traditional rulers before issuing official letters, arguing that such engagement would give monarchs an opportunity to explain matters relating to their cultural responsibilities.
The monarch also said he was not an enemy of Governor Adeleke and accused unnamed individuals of attempting to create misunderstanding between them.
Another member of the governor’s cabinet said the Oluwo appeared to have taken the government’s advice, pointing to his conduct and remarks during the festival as evidence that tensions were easing.
The government has maintained that the warning was a preventive measure aimed at protecting public peace, while reconciliation efforts between the two traditional rulers are reportedly continuing.
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