An aide to the Aláàfin has addressed concerns surrounding the monarch’s absence from the Ọọ̀ni’s palace during recent visits to other traditional rulers. According to the aide, “We didn’t ignore the Ọọ̀ni during the visit. We reached out to the palace but were informed that the Ọọ̀ni was not available. In fact, the Ọọ̀ni’s palace was the first on our initial itinerary, but due to the situation, we had to proceed to visit the Oluwo first.”
It’s worth noting that the Aláàfin, following his coronation, has visited several prominent monarchs across Nigeria, but his apparent omission of Ilé Ifẹ̀ has not gone unnoticed. Some observers also pointed out that when the Aláàfin and the Ọọ̀ni crossed paths in Ìbàdàn shortly after the Aláàfin’s installation, there was no clear gesture of deference, fueling speculations of a silent rift which Aláàfin has denied.
This perceived tension has sparked public curiosity about when the Aláàfin will finally pay a formal courtesy visit to the Ọọ̀ni in Ilé Ifẹ̀. Meanwhile, reports indicate that the Ọọ̀ni recently traveled to Kazakhstan to represent the African continent, which may also account for the delayed meeting.
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