Amid ongoing debate over the supremacy of traditional rulers in Oyo State, Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, stated that the Oyo Empire belongs to history and encouraged monarchs to focus on contemporary responsibilities.

Ajayi emphasized:
“Times have changed. Rome and the United Kingdom, which once ruled vast empires, no longer claim sovereignty over former colonies. The whole of what we now know as Yorubaland was never solely under the Alaafin’s rule. Our kings should collaborate to promote peace, unity, and development while preserving cultural values.”

The comments coincided with the inauguration of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs in Ibadan, where the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, Arusa I, was appointed as the council’s inaugural chairman for a two-year term. Governor Seyi Makinde stated that the chairmanship would rotate among the Olubadan, the Alaafin of Oyo, and the Soun of Ogbomosoland, with each leader serving two-year terms.

However, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade I, was absent from the event. His Palace, through Chief Press Secretary Bode Durojaiye, denied that any consultations occurred with Governor Makinde or the other monarchs regarding the rotational chairmanship. The statement clarified that the Alaafin did not endorse the rotation plan and had formally communicated his position to the governor.

The debate has intensified after a video from the 2026 Inter-Faith service in Ibadan surfaced online, showing the Alaafin extending a hand to the Olubadan while seated, only for Oba Ladoja to appear to snub the gesture shortly after exchanging pleasantries with the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye.

Ajayi’s comments underscore a growing call for traditional rulers in Oyo State to adapt their roles to modern society, prioritizing collaboration and community development over historical claims of supremacy.