Awolowo Worsened the Alaafin–Ooni Rivalry

From the sacred myths of Oduduwa to the sharp edges of modern politics, Professor Toyin Falola traces the deep historical roots of the rivalry between the Ooni of Ife and the Alaafin of Oyo. Drawing from Yoruba origin traditions, the renowned historian shows how questions of ancestry, spiritual authority, and political power became entangled long before colonial rule. He explains that while these tensions existed in precolonial times, British intervention hardened them by recognising the Alaafin as the preeminent ruler in Yorubaland, transforming fluid hierarchies into rigid political rankings. Falola further explores how the rivalry was reignited in the postcolonial era when Chief Obafemi Awolowo, as Premier of the Western Region, elevated the Ooni’s status in an effort to rebalance historical authority. Rather than settling old scores, these competing recognitions intensified a contest over legitimacy that continues to echo in Yoruba politics and identity. The historian, Falola is University Distinguished Teaching Professor and holder of the Frances and Jacob Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin To order Falola’s books, visit: udarabooks.com Or chat with Udara Books on WhatsApp: +2348099918449