Yoruba Nation campaigner Chief Sunday Adeyemo, widely known as Sunday Igboho, has refuted claims that he insulted the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade. The statements in question were made during his recent visit to the palace of the Ooni of Ife.
In a video released late on Saturday, Igboho clarified that his comments were misunderstood. He explained that his words were not an insult but were drawn from his own family’s traditional praise poetry, a form of self-praise that recounts his lineage’s history.
He stressed that his specific reference to the Alaafin not having a crown was a part of this familial chant and was never intended as a slight. He added that this particular eulogy is, in his belief, well-known to the Alaafin himself.
Igboho maintained that he holds the Alaafin in the highest regard, describing him as a profoundly important ruler in Yorubaland, and emphasised that he had no reason to ridicule him. According to Igboho, his overarching intention is to promote peace and unity amongst Yoruba monarchs, not to stir conflict.
He concluded by appealing for forgiveness from the Alaafin and reiterated that he could never deliberately show him any disrespect.
He said, “My father, Olugbon, called me and explained to me that our father, Alaafin of Oyo, said I was abusing him when I was at the Ooni of Ife’s palace. I was not abusing you; why would I be abusing you? Olugbon is not a small king in Yoruba land, and if he corrects me on something, I will definitely make amendments immediately.
“Alaafin is not a small king in Yoruba land for someone like me to be talking anyhow to. I’m also from Oyo. That’s the way they normally eulogize us in my lineage, which the Alaafin is also aware of.
“They would say, ‘Lade Lade Lade, Alaafin doesn’t have a crown, it is the crown of Aladikun that was collected for Alaafin’. That’s how they eulogize us in our Aladikun lineage.
“Ooni of Ife is a peaceful person; if not, I’ve abused him before, and when I entered his palace, they were still eulogizing me in his presence and he didn’t say anything. So I also eulogized myself as a true son of Aladikun. All these things did not annoy the Ooni of Ife. He still celebrated me and called other powerful monarchs to honour and pray for me.
“I have nothing to gain in abusing Alaafin. What I’m after is for peace to reign among all of our kings; that is our prayer.
“Please, forgive me, I dare not disrespect you.”
Watch the viral video below:
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