Temitope Ajayi, a Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Tinubu, has ignited a public conversation after asserting that the era of the Old Oyo Empire’s imperial dominance is over.
Persecondnews reports that in a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Ajayi argued that no traditional ruler in modern Yoruba society holds supremacy over their peers.
To emphasize his point, he shared a photograph of the current Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, while challenging the notion of hierarchical superiority among Yoruba monarchs.
“We are no longer in the era of the Oyo Empire,” Ajayi wrote.
“Rome and the United Kingdom, that once ruled more than half of the world as empires, can no longer claim sovereignty over former colonies. Times have changed. We are now in a new world.”
He maintained that the historical Oyo Empire should not be conflated with present-day cultural or political authority, stressing that Yorubaland was never entirely under the rule of the Alaafin.
“Oyo Empire now belongs to history and the whole of what we now know as Yorubaland was never under the rule of the Alaafin,” he said.
Ajayi further urged traditional rulers in the South-West to embrace collaborative leadership in line with modern realities, arguing that mutual respect among monarchs would better serve their communities.
“The society will function well if the current natural rulers in Yorubaland understand their roles in modern society,” he stated.
“Our kings should now work collaboratively to preserve peace, unity and development in their communities whilst preserving our cultural values.”
Ajayi’s remarks have fueled an ongoing digital firestorm regarding the influence of traditional rulers.
The debate remains split: one side defends the stool of the Alaafin as the historical peak of Yoruba power, while critics argue that no single kingdom holds sway over the others.
Many in the latter camp instead emphasize the spiritual significance of Ile-Ife and the Ooni’s unique leadership role.
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