Alaafin, a detribalised, visionary monarch–Kwara gov
Given the peculiar geography of Jebba as natural boundary between Yorubas of the West and Nupes of the North, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade’s visit to the Kwara State town on April 22, 2026 was historic.
Amidst drums, flute and rousing welcome, Oba Owoade and his entourage were warmly ushered into the palace of the Oba of Jebba, Oba Abdukadir Alabi Adebara, the centenarian royal father who had looked forward to that historic visit to him in Moro Local Government.
TheTabloid.net gathered that a delegation of Oba Adebara some months ago was in the Alaafin’s palace where they delivered a message of their traditional ruler to Oba Owoade. The Alaafin’s visit to Jebba is an indication of outcome of Oba Adebare’s message to him.
However, Alaafin’s visit to Jebba coincided with his visit to Kwara State and Shao. He paid a courtesy visit to the state Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq in his office during which he declared that safety of rural, border communities must command same seriousness, urgency as security of major cities.
He also called for strengthening of inter agency cooperation, timely intelligence sharing, proactive intervention, and structured community engagement that would enable early warning and prevention.
In a release issued by Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, Bode Durojaiye, the monarch said, “Government must deepen intelligence gathering and preventive intervention. Beyond responsive measures, enhanced intelligence and preventive strategies are critical.”
He added, “Security threats rarely occur in isolation; they are often organised, financed, and facilitated through networks that can and should be identified, disrupted, and prosecuted within the framework of the law.
“Clear, steady communication with affected communities and with their traditional rulers will also strengthen public trust. In moments of uncertainty, timely information and visible leadership help calm fears, counter misinformation, and demonstrate that government remains firmly present. Where communities feel heard and guided, panic recedes; where they feel abandoned, fear multiplies.
“The Alaafin stands with Yoruba communities in the State and we identify with them. These are not distant places to us; they form part of our shared cultural and human fabric, communities bound to us by history, kinship, and longstanding civilisational ties. Criminals must not turn our ancestral homes into bargaining chips. Terror must not violate our farms, our markets, our places of worship, or the dignity of our daily work”.
Governor AbdulRasaq commended the Alaafin patriotic zeal and unrelenting commitment for the sanctity of human lives, describing him as a” detribalised, and visionary Monarch with a heart of gold”.
He noted that the plight of royal fathers are in mind and that efforts are on to ensure some statutory roles are accorded the traditional institution.
While assuring the Alaafin of the state government’s commitment towards getting rid of banditry and all acts of terrorism in the State , the governor pledged to give the royal advice due consideration.
Before the excitement of the Alaafin’s visit subsided, a group, called the Ilorin Emirate Youth Development Association (IEYDA), fired a salvo at Oba Owoade and insisted he should have informed the Emir of Ilorin to visit Jebba and Shao.
In a statement, jointly signed by its National President, Alhaji Mohammed Uthman Jagunmo and National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Abdullahi Abdulfatahi Oloyin, the interest group accused Oba Owoade of disrespect to the status of the Emir of Ilorin, Oba Ibrahim Zulu Gambari whom it said is Chairman of the Kwara State Council of Emirs, Obas and Chiefs.
It was learnt that indigenes of Jebba are also defending the Alaafin’s visit with unambigous declaration that they could not detatch from their history and culture, which connect them with the Alaafin and practice of traditional religions such as Sango, Ogun and others.
It was revealed that Oba Adebara ascended to the throne in 2003, soon after which he was said to have entered legal tussle with the state government under Governor Bukola Saraki. The government reportedly took Oba Adebara before a judge in 2006 but the monarch won the case in 2014 and went ahead to also win at a court of appeal in 2015.
Another source who declined his name in print, however, said Jebba belongs to Nupe in Edu Local Government.
***Published April 25, 2026
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