Ooni of Ife and Alaafin of Oyo at Lagos Party: Viral Video Fuels Fresh Debate on Yoruba Royal Supremacy

A trending video capturing the Ooni of Ife and the Alaafin of Oyo at a social event in Lagos has reignited the decades-old debate about royal hierarchy and power among Yoruba monarchs. Learn what the video showed and why it sparked such a heated online discussion.

A short video clip featuring two of Yorubaland's most revered traditional rulers, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, at a high-profile party in Lagos has gone massively viral, triggering a fresh and intense debate among Nigerians, particularly on social media.

The footage, which appears to capture a moment of interaction (or lack thereof) between the monarchs at the social gathering, has been interpreted in various ways, primarily revolving around the traditional protocol of greetings and the established hierarchy in the Yoruba kingship system.

While specific details of the Lagos "party" are less critical than the royal interaction, the content of the video has been widely reported to show:
The clip often focuses on the moment the two prominent figures met or passed by each other at the event.

The core issue debated online hinges on whose traditional protocol dictates the greeting—who should bow or acknowledge the other first, and to what extent. Given the historical and spiritual significance of both stools the Ooni as the descendant of Oduduwa (the progenitor of the Yoruba race) and the Alaafin as the head of the powerful Oyo Empire any perceived slight or deviation from accepted protocol is quickly scrutinized.

The virality of the video is largely fueled by the existing, long-standing historical tension and occasional supremacy tussle between the thrones of Ile-Ife and Oyo. For many users, the clip became a lens through which to re-litigate the entire debate on Yoruba royal supremacy.