The Ooni is superior to the Alaafin of Oyo – Actor Lalude asserts in new clip, rouses attention

• Two of Yoruba’s most powerful thrones, the Ooni of Ife and the Alaafin of Oyo, were recently thrust in the spotlight of comparison.
• Lalude, with unflinching certainty, placed the Ooni far above the Alaafin, a bold claim that triggered backlashes, stirred fierce debates on supremacy and tradition.

Veteran Yoruba actor, Fatai Adekunle Adetayo, famously known as Lalude, waded into the sacred waters of Yoruba royal hierarchy, weighed the thrones of the Ooni of Ife and the Alaafin of Oyo.

Faced with the legacies of Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ọjájá II), the 51st Ooni of Ife, and Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, the 46th Alaafin of Oyo, Lalude, in new video interview, stood firm in his stance.

With the weight of history behind him, he declared that in the grand tapestry of Yoruba tradition, the Ooni stands unquestionably above the Alaafin, a truth, he insisted, that even the reigning Alaafin would acknowledge.

WATCH HIM SPEAK IN CLIP BELOW

Lalude’s bold declaration did not sit well with many who came across the clip, sparked a wave of backlash. Critics dismissed his stance, dragged him for what they saw as a lopsided take on Yoruba monarchy.

Yet, a handful supported his claims, highlighted the Ooni’s towering influence in Yorubaland, a dominance they believe is undeniable.

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In related news, Olori Ashley, the fourth wife of the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, recently stirred intrigue and amusement during a powerful gathering with Ifa priests and priestesses.

In a newly surfaced clip making waves online, she stood at the heart of the sacred assembly, draped in radiant white, gripping Ifa rattles in what appeared to be an Ifa Osun ceremony.

Then, in an unexpected twist, she broke into a Christian song, left the Ifa devotees singing along and sparked a whirlwind of reactions online.