October 06, 2025
By Ademola Adekusibe
The Olukosi of Ilukosi-Ijesa in Atakunmosa West Local Government Area of Osun State, His Royal Majesty Ọba Omotooyosi Bayo Michael Akinleye (JP), has written to the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Alhaji Ahmed Tijani Muhammad Anaje, demanding the reversal of the recent turbaning of a Fulani man as the “Obaro of Kogi Central.”
In a letter dated October 4, 2025, Ọba Akinleye described the action as an “insult to the entire Yorùbá people,” stressing that the title “Obaro” is intrinsically Yoruba in origin and traditionally reserved for the paramount ruler of Kabba in Kogi West.
According to the monarch, the Obaro title symbolizes the sovereignty, history, and cultural identity of the Okun Yoruba people, who have preserved it for generations. He warned that conferring the title on a non-Yoruba, particularly a Fulani individual in Kogi Central, constitutes a form of “cultural appropriation” that could erode the distinct ethnic and historical boundaries within the state.
“The title ‘Obaro’ is not a generic appellation; it carries centuries of ancestral authority and heritage,” the monarch said. “By extending this title to a Fulani person in Ebira land, there is a risk of eroding Yorùbá cultural identity and creating unnecessary tension among ethnic groups that have long coexisted peacefully.”
While acknowledging the Ohinoyi’s role as a respected custodian of Ebira tradition, Oba Akinleye appealed to him to “reconsider and reverse the appointment in the interest of cultural preservation and inter-ethnic harmony.”
He added that unity in Nigeria should not come at the expense of indigenous heritage.
“True unity,” he said, “is built through respect for each group’s distinct traditions, not through actions that blur historical identities.”
The Olukosi further expressed confidence in the wisdom of the Ohinoyi to take steps that would “protect both the integrity of the Ebira people and the heritage of the Yoruba nation.”
The letter, which was personally signed by Oba Akinleye (Ojagbuda I), has sparked widespread discussion within Yoruba cultural circles, with many viewing the development as a test of Nigeria’s fragile inter-ethnic understanding.
