The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, has demanded a public apology and retraction from Professor Ademola Dasylva over claims that he arrived three hours late to the inauguration of the Alaafin’s Institute of Yoruba Studies at Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo.
Reacting through his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, the monarch dismissed the allegation as misleading, stating that his arrival followed a revised timetable that had already been communicated to the event organisers.
According to the Palace, the university’s original programme scheduled the Alaafin’s arrival for 11:00 a.m. However, officials were informed beforehand that the monarch would be travelling with other paramount traditional rulers from outside Oyo State, making it impossible for the royal entourage to arrive before noon or 1:00 p.m.
Durojaiye said the change was communicated early enough to enable the organisers adjust their plans, arguing that any suggestion that the Alaafin kept guests waiting ignored the facts.
“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 read.
The Palace also stressed that the Alaafin’s official movements are governed by established royal protocols and are often coordinated with other traditional rulers, making it inappropriate to expect the monarch’s procession to follow arrangements made without proper consultation.
It further faulted Dasylva’s remarks, noting that he was neither among the event organisers nor part of the protocol team and therefore had no direct knowledge of the discussions between the Palace and the university.
“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,” Durojaiye said.
While acknowledging Dasylva’s contributions to Yoruba studies, the Palace maintained that public criticism should be based on verified information and not on assumptions capable of discrediting traditional institutions.
The Palace consequently demanded that the professor withdraw his comments and apologise, insisting that the monarch honoured the event according to the agreed schedule.
“The Alaafin did not come late. He came according to schedule, as duly communicated. To say otherwise is to bear false witness,” the statement added.
