Yorubaland Titles Must Originate from Oyo Throne

Yorubaland Titles Must Originate from Oyo Throne – Alaafin of Oyo
The monarch stressed that chieftaincy in Yoruba culture is not a matter of favour or decoration
Urged new titleholders to serve with humility

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, has emphasised that only the throne of Oyo has the authority to confer chieftaincy titles that carry the name “Yorubaland.”

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Eko Hot Blog reports that Oba Owoade made the statement during the installation of Senator Abdul-Aziz Yari as Obaloyin of Yorubaland and Barrister Seyi Tinubu as Okanlomo of Yorubaland on Sunday at Aganju Forecourt, Aafin Oyo.

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The monarch stressed that chieftaincy in Yoruba culture is not a matter of favour or decoration but a duty accompanied by responsibility. He explained that the throne of Oyo has historically served as a central coordinating authority for the Yoruba people, a status recognised during colonial administration and in post-independence governance.

“Titles bearing the name ‘Yorubaland’ are collective titles representing the Yoruba people as a whole, not individual towns or kingdoms, and must therefore be conferred by an authority whose reach spans the entire region,” he said.

Oba Owoade highlighted that colonial records, post-independence councils, scholarly works, and even the Supreme Court of Nigeria have affirmed this historical authority. He described the newly installed titles as positions of trust requiring courage, loyalty, and service to the Yoruba people.

He further urged the new titleholders to serve with humility, ensuring that their honours promote unity, dignity, and the collective good of Yorubaland.

Yorubaland Titles Must Originate from Oyo Throne - Alaafin of Oyo

“Chieftaincy, in our culture, is not an act of favour. It is not decoration. It is duty, conferred only when history, authority, and responsibility align. From the earliest organisation of the Yoruba people, authority was never vague. Our forebears understood structure. This understanding gave Yorubaland stability long before modern governance arrived.”

Oba Owoade provided historical context, noting that by 1914, Oyo Province had become the largest in Southern Nigeria, covering 14,381 square miles and bounded by Ilorin, Kontagora, Ondo, Ijebu, Abeokuta, and French Dahomey.

This reflected recognised leadership over a wide and diverse area, underscoring why Yorubaland titles differ from local chieftaincies.

“Titles that bear the name ‘Yorubaland’ are not local titles. They speak not for one town or one kingdom, but for the Yoruba people as a whole.

Such titles must therefore proceed from an authority whose reach, by history and by law, extends across Yorubaland. Colonial records acknowledged it. Post-independence councils preserved it. Scholars documented it. And finally, the Supreme Court of Nigeria affirmed it. The law is clear. History is settled.”