By Tunji Oladejo
Traditional institutions are custodians of culture, not border posts. The protest by the Ilorin Emirate Youth Development Association against the Alaafin of Oyo’s visit to Shao and Jebba in Moro Local Government Area misreads both history and law. With respect, the Alaafin is right to visit and wrong to be asked for permission.
Nigeria is a single country, and traditional rulers serve as fathers to all its citizens. The Constitution guarantees every Nigerian freedom of movement. That right does not stop at the boundary of an Emirate. In Kwara State, a first-class Oba does not become a foreigner. The Alaáfin’s throne is not merely Oyo’s; it is Yorùbá and its moral jurisdiction is cultural, not cadastral. Shao and Jebba are Yorùbá communities. Their people maintain ancestral, linguistic and historical ties with Oyo. To visit kith and kin is not a violation of protocol. It is a discharge of duty.
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It should be noted that notification is courtesy, not command. Custom respects hierarchy, but it does not create veto power. The Emir of Ilorin chairs the Kwara State Council of Emirs, Obas and Chiefs, which is an administrative forum, not a sovereign parliament. No statute, no gazette, and no recognised custom compel one first-class ruler to seek another’s “approval” before stepping into any part of Nigeria. Courtesy is admirable. Compulsion is alien. To elevate courtesy into law is to replace tradition with territory, thereby undermining the cultural significance of local customs and identities that have historically governed social interactions, which can lead to a homogenization of diverse practices and a loss of community cohesion.
Maybe some people think Shao and Jebba are personal fiefs. Moro Local Government is within Kwara State, but its towns have layered identities. Shao’s Ohoro and Jebba’s Oba are Yorùbá kings with ancient links to Oyo. The Alaáfin’s visit affirms those bonds at a time when culture needs reinforcement, not regulation. If we insist that every cross-border homage requires clearance, we will soon balkanise goodwill and criminalise fraternity.
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Peace is kept by law, not by fences. IEYDA rightly calls for calm. Yet calm is best secured when everyone recognises that respect is mutual and movement is free. The Alaáfin did not install a chief, claim land, or dispute the Emir’s authority. He paid a visit. To frame that as provocation is to make peace hostage to protocol.
Now the way forward: To the Alaafin: Continue to honour history with humility. Notify anybody as a courtesy when practicable, but please remember that notification is not an obligation. Your stool predates the current map.
To the Emir of Ilorin: Your position as the Chairman of the Council confers coordination, not control. Your office preserves its dignity best by welcoming brothers, not by screening them.
To Kwara and Oyo State Governments, Affirm, publicly, that no traditional ruler needs a visa to visit any Nigerian community. Anything less invites a patchwork of mini-sovereignties Nigeria cannot afford, which would lead to fragmentation and weaken the nation’s unity and governance, ultimately undermining the collaborative efforts necessary for national development and stability.
To IEYDA: Defend Ilorin Emirate by strengthening its culture, not by narrowing its gates, as fostering inclusivity and cultural exchange will enhance community ties and promote unity among diverse groups. Unity in Kwara is not uniformity of consent.
The Alaáfin’s visit was not an incursion. It was a reminder that Yorùbáland, like Nigeria, is larger than local government lines. We should not build walls where our ancestors built bridges. What I mean here is this. The Alaáfin’s trip reminds us that cultural ties run deeper than government maps. You can’t use LGA boundaries to fence out history. Shao and Jebba may be on Kwara paper, but they’re still Yorùbá in blood, tongue, and tradition. And the Alaáfin, as a Yorùbá father, has a right to acknowledge that. In short, maps divide for administration. Culture unites for identity. The visit honoured the second without violating the first.
Tunji Oladejo, mnipr, JP, MANUPA, writes from the University of Ibadan, is the Chairman of The Progressive Forum, Ibadan (TPFI); and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Bayo and Bimpe Oyero Foundation (BBOF) and the 2026 Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) Icon of Ibadan Heritage Awardee via oladejo65@gmail.com. 08077284442
