When Kings Clash: Etiquette, Authority in Oyo’s Traditional Council

Adedayo Adejobi

Since his installation on April 16, 2025, Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade, the Alaafin of Oyo, has found himself at the centre of what appears to be a brewing crisis within the Oyo State Traditional Council and beyond, raising questions about royal protocol, respect for institutional hierarchies, and the modern performance of traditional authority in Yoruba land.

What began with a seemingly harmless greeting at a state inter-faith event has metastasised into a broader dispute over customary respect, sovereignty of institutions, and historical interpretation of royal standing.

At the heart of the current controversy is an incident at the Agodi Government House in Ibadan a few days ago, where the Alaafin, already seated at a ceremony, extended his hand to greet Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, the Olubadan of Ibadanland.

The Olubadan did not respond and instead proceeded to greet other dignitaries before calmly taking his seat.

For many present and for observers across the state, the moment spoke volumes about mutual respect and the expectations of protocol. To Ibadan traditional stakeholders, the gesture was more than awkward; it was disrespectful to a monarch whose age, experience, political service and traditional standing they emphasised far exceed that of the Alaafin in that setting.

Following the episode, Ibadan traditional leaders, including monarchs, Mogajis and Baales, issued a stern warning to the Alaafin of Oyo, describing his conduct as “an embarrassment of the highest order” and insisting that any further affront would be met with strong resistance from Ibadan’s institutions.

In their own words, they stressed that stretching out a hand to greet the Olubadan while seated was inappropriate and insulting to the Olubadan stool and the dignity of the Ibadan traditional establishment. They noted that Olubadan’s seniority and contributions as a former governor, former senator and respected elder warrant the highest respect at public functions.

This episode cannot be understood in isolation. It occurs against a backdrop of ongoing debates about leadership and hierarchy within the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs. In 2025, there was controversy over a proposed amendment to make Alaafin the permanent chairman of the Council, a move strongly opposed by the Olubadan and the Soun of Ogbomoso on the grounds that leadership of the Council should remain rotational, reflecting fairness and historical practice. Many traditional stakeholders argued that the rotational chairmanship which alternates among the Alaafin, the Olubadan and the Soun, better reflects the complex historical and cultural realities within Yoruba society and avoids privileging one stool over others.

Public and institutional resistance eventually saw the Oyo State House of Assembly retain the rotational leadership structure, reinforcing that no one monarch should permanently preside over his peers. This decision affirmed an understanding that traditional authority is shared and negotiated, not unilaterally imposed.

The deeper issue signalled by the Olubadan’s snub, then, is not merely a personal rebuff but a symbolic rejection of any perceived attempt to elevate the Alaafin above the collective dignity of other royal institutions in Oyo State. Olubadan’s action, according to his supporters, is an assertion that no one throne, even one as historic as the Alaafin’s, should automatically arrogate precedence over others in contemporary ceremonial contexts. It also reflects a sense of gravity and self-worth inherent in Ibadan’s storied history as a major Yoruba metropolis with its own independent traditions of leadership and civic pride.

To fully appreciate why this matters, one must distinguish between specific incidents and the broader historical debate about royal seniority. An incident like a handshake snub is a discrete moment of public conduct; it speaks to etiquette and perception in a particular space and time. The history of the Oyo Empire, in contrast, informs long-standing narratives about the historic political prominence of the Alaafin. The Oyo Empire dominated large swathes of Yorubaland and wielded considerable military and political influence in the 18th and 19th centuries. Its leaders were central to regional alliances, trade networks and diplomatic relations. It is this imperial memory that underpins many assertions about the Alaafin’s historical significance among Yoruba monarchs.

Yet, history is more nuanced than simply who ruled longest or whose army was larger. The Ooni of Ife, for instance, holds cultural and spiritual primacy in Yoruba cosmology as custodian of the origin traditions of the Yoruba people. His authority is rooted less in arms and territory and more in religion, myth and symbolism. Neither the Oyo Empire nor the Ile-Ife cosmology can be neatly ranked without losing sight of the different kinds of authority each represents within Yoruba consciousness.

Likewise, the Olubadan is the foremost monarch of Ibadanland, a city that grew into one of the most populous and politically influential centres in Yorubaland. Its own independent history of military organisation and civic self-governance imbues the Olubadan stool with unique prestige. This is why, for many Ibadan stakeholders, the idea of the Alaafin claiming dominance over his peers through gestures or political initiatives such as attempting to become perennial chairman of the Council, is unacceptable. Such moves are seen as disrupting an established balance that honours both tradition and modern sensibilities of equity and respect.

From the standpoint of royal etiquette, the current frictions highlight important cultural expectations that extend beyond mere protocol. In Yoruba tradition, respect for elders and peers is not a superficial courtesy; it is a vital expression of social harmony and mutual recognition. Traditional etiquette dictates that greetings, seating order, and interactions among monarchs be conducted with sensitivity to age, experience, historical roles and institutional reputation. A seated monarch offering a greeting to another stool without appropriate contextual deference can be interpreted as a breach of dignity, even if no disrespect was intended. The Olubadan’s choice not to reciprocate the handshake may thus be read as an assertion of contextual etiquette rather than outright animosity.

Critics of Alaafin’s public conduct argue that his actions and statements suggest a misreading of this etiquette, one coloured perhaps by a strong sense of historical entitlement. If the Alaafin sees the imperial legacy of Oyo as granting him unchallenged precedence, this may inadvertently diminish the standing of other respected traditional rulers in the eyes of their communities. Such a posture can strain relations within the traditional council and undermine the collaborative spirit that under-girds Yoruba traditional systems. It raises probing questions about leadership: should royal authority be wielded with assertion and dominance, or with humility and shared respect?

Yet it is also fair to explore alternative interpretations. Some supporters of Alaafin’s approach might argue that his gestures were misinterpreted, exaggerated by social media and political rivals. They may assert that Alaafin has deep respect for his peers but perhaps lacks sufficient guidance on the contemporary reading of ceremonial etiquette in high-profile settings. Others might argue that his actions reflect a generational difference in understanding tradition, or a strong desire to reassert the identity and historical pride of Oyo town after years of relative marginalisation in public cultural debates. These interpretations invite empathy and a more charitable reading of his conduct.

Still, for the traditional institution as a whole, the controversy has surfaced a critical governance question: are there adequate structures in place within the Oyo Traditional Council to manage disputes, guide new monarchs on etiquette norms, and mitigate tensions before they erupt publicly? The outcry from Ibadan and the refusal to accept permanent chairmanship of the Council reflect anxieties that go beyond individual personalities. They suggest a deep desire among Yoruba traditional stakeholders for equity, mutual respect, and collective dignity at both ceremonial and institutional levels.

The drama unfolding in Oyo State’s traditional circles is more than a viral video moment. It is a cultural inflection point that invites reflection on how Yoruba monarchs should embody their roles in a modern, interconnected society. The authority of kingship rests not merely on the splendour of titles or the weight of history but on how custodians of tradition conduct themselves in ways that uphold dignity, foster unity, and respect the multiplicity of Yoruba cultural heritage. The moment calls for measured leadership rooted in humility and an appreciation of the shared tapestry of history that links every throne in Yoruba land. For leadership without humility risks eroding not only respect for tradition, but also the very institutions that have sustained communities for generations.