Ooni, Alaafin supremacy tussle ends soon via Vanguard Traditional rulers in the South-west have restated their resolve to end the rivalry between the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, and Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi. This came just as the monarchs said they would likely mediate in the feud between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and her daughter, Mrs. Iyabo Obasanjo. This was disclosed at a meeting held by the Yoruba Obas Conflict Resolution Committee at the Premier Hotel in Ibadan yesterday. The Ooni and Alaafin have for many years been embroiled in a supremacy tussle among Yoruba monarchs. While noting that the cause of enmity among monarchs in the zone was ego, the committee assured that it would not be distracted from its mandate. The Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan, the chairman of the committee, said, “ We have achieved a lot after setting up this committee. We discovered that the genesis of rivalry among Yoruba obas was nothing but ego. We have succeeded in that we have been able to make our traditional rulers speak with one voice”. On the Alaafin and Ooni feud, he said, “They are our senior obas. We are not competent to judge them. We are their children. They have been our rulers for many years. But we are sure they would come together very soon”. Akinruntan added,” “On the feud between Obasanjo and Iyabo, it is a family matter and it is also a political matter. “We don’t want to make comments on it. We will see what we can do about it. We will settle it in a matter of time. When we leave here, we will meet Obasanjo to know what actually happened.” This is a welcome development if they can resolve the matters between them.