Princes from three royal families in Iwo, Osun State, have appealed to the state government and the Osun State Traditional Council to regulate the use of social media by monarchs, warning that online disputes among traditional rulers could deepen disunity in Yorubaland.
Their call followed the ongoing supremacy battle between the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, and the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji, over who occupies the fourth position in the state’s hierarchy of monarchs.
Speaking at a press conference in Iwo on Wednesday, the families’ spokesperson, Prince Adedoja Osunwo, said the conflict could have been avoided if there were proper internal mechanisms for resolving disputes among traditional rulers. He stressed that the use of social media to air grievances was unnecessary since an official gazette already defines the ranking of royal stools in the state.
“We urge the state government, the traditional council, and other stakeholders to put in place structures to regulate social media conduct of our monarchs,” Osunwo said. “This issue is not about condemning any royal father, but about preserving Yoruba unity, which is far more important.”
He added that historical distortions had fueled the disagreement, noting that the Oluwo’s throne originated from Ile-Ife and had never been a lesser chieftaincy. Osunwo commended Governor Ademola Adeleke and the Iwo Board of Trustees for steps taken to ease tensions and urged the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, as head of the state’s traditional council, to strengthen internal conflict resolution.
The dispute reignited after Ataoja revisited the long-standing ranking controversy during a lecture marking his 15th coronation anniversary at Osun State University.
