The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, has demanded a public apology and retraction from Professor Ademola Dasylva over claims that the monarch arrived three hours late to the inauguration of the Alaafin’s Institute of Yoruba Studies at Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo.
In a statement issued by the monarch’s Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, the Palace dismissed the allegation as inaccurate and misleading, insisting that the Alaafin arrived in line with a revised schedule that had already been communicated to the event organisers. According to the statement, portraying the monarch as arriving late ignored prior arrangements made with the university regarding his movement alongside other traditional rulers travelling from outside Oyo State.
Durojaiye explained that the university initially scheduled the Alaafin’s arrival for 11:00 a.m., but the Palace informed organisers before the event that the monarch’s itinerary would require an adjustment.
“For the records, the original schedule proposed by the university indicated 11:00 a.m. as the time for His Imperial Majesty’s arrival,” the statement said.
It added that the Director of Administration at the Alaafin’s Palace officially notified the university that the monarch would be travelling with other paramount traditional rulers and, as a result, could not arrive before noon or 1:00 p.m. The Palace maintained that the communication was made early enough to enable organisers adjust their plans accordingly.
“This communication was not an afterthought. It was made deliberately and in good faith to enable proper planning. To therefore feign surprise and launch into public castigation is either a wilful disregard of facts or a deliberate act of provocation,” the statement added.
The Palace stressed that the Alaafin’s movement is guided by long-established royal protocols and often coordinated with other monarchs. According to Durojaiye, expecting the imperial entourage to follow a timetable prepared without full consultation reflected a misunderstanding of traditional institutions and royal etiquette.
“The Palace does not move in isolation. When the Alaafin moves, he moves with the dignity of Oyo, with the council, and often in concert with other crowns. To expect an imperial procession to conform to a timetable designed without full consultation is to misunderstand both monarchy and courtesy,” the statement read.
The Palace also challenged the basis of Professor Dasylva’s public remarks, arguing that he neither organised the event nor served on its protocol committee. Durojaiye said the professor was not privy to the communication exchanged between the Palace and the university and should have sought clarification before making public statements.
“The honourable and scholarly path would have been to inquire from the organisers before rushing to the marketplace of public opinion with insults. A professor of repute is expected to embody circumspection, research and restraint,” he stated.
While acknowledging Dasylva’s contributions to Yoruba scholarship, the Palace said criticism should always be rooted in verified facts rather than assumptions.
The Alaafin’s Palace maintained that the monarch attended the inauguration according to the agreed schedule and described his presence as further evidence of his commitment to promoting Yoruba culture, education and scholarship. It consequently demanded that Professor Dasylva withdraw his comments and apologise.
“We therefore demand retraction and apology for remarks made without due consultation and in disregard of prior communication from the Palace,” Durojaiye said.
Reaffirming its position, the Palace insisted that the Alaafin fulfilled his obligations exactly as communicated to organisers. “The Alaafin did not come late. He came according to schedule, as duly communicated. To say otherwise is to bear false witness,” the statement concluded.
