Among the Yoruba’s, traditional titles have long served two purposes: to celebrate prestige and contribution, and to protect and govern communities. Historically, kingship was structured and functional.
Obas and chiefs were custodians of land, arbiters of justice, and coordinators of community welfare. Certain offices carried unique mandates, binding them to defend the people, safeguard territory, and unify Yoruba communities.
Today, however, the system faces growing challenges. Rivalries among leading stools, duplication of historically exclusive titles, and proliferation of ceremonial honors have fragmented authority. Titles such as Okanlomo OdĂąduwĂ , Okanlomo Yoruba, and town-specific Okanlomo’s are purely ceremonial.
Any king can wake up and name anyone anything. But any title not tied to the king’s geographical jurisdiction is at best fictional. While ceremonial titles celebrate culture and prestige, they carry no governance or territorial authority, and multiplying them across towns or regions risks confusing the public and diluting respect for offices that actually protect and unify communities.
By jurisdiction, we mean the Local Government Area (LGA) or town over which a king exercises traditional authority.
Functional offices, those with responsibilities for protection, arbitration, or unification, must operate strictly within their defined LGA. Any title conferred outside that area is irrelevant to governance and cannot carry functional authority.
Functional offices carry unique, non-duplicable mandates. The Olubadan of Ibadan, for example, follows a strict 22-line succession system, where advancement is by seniority and cannot be bypassed. This ensures continuity, preserves authority, and safeguards the people. Similarly, the Aare Ona Kakanfo, historically tied to the Oyo kingdom, commanded defence responsibilities and territorial protection. The old Oyo kingdom was vast, encompassing most of present day Yoruba states and beyond, but it no longer exists in its historical form. While some groups may now claim the title for “all Yoruba land,” its functional authority is now new Oyo kingdom specific, and extending it beyond its new jurisdiction undermines legitimacy, creates rivalry, and confuses authority.
Ceremonial titles like Okanlomo may continue for cultural recognition and pageantry, but they must not interfere with functional offices. Functional titles must retain exclusive authority, clearly defined territory, and protective responsibilities. Functional titles cannot be resurrected for kingdoms or jurisdictions that no longer exist, even in the name of history.
Using history to justify new offices outside contemporary jurisdictions is invalid and threatens the integrity of modern traditional governance.
Contemporary functional titles overseeing Yoruba land(south western Nigeria) must be decided and sanctioned by the Yoruba council of Obas.. This ensures legitimacy, selects the best candidate, preserves historical and cultural integrity, and prevents rivalry and duplication. Active gazetting by state governments, through governors and Houses of Assembly, is also essential to legally recognize functional offices, protect jurisdiction, and prevent misuse of authority.
History shows Yoruba institutions endure through discipline, clarity, and responsibility, not pageantry alone.
Today, kings may confer ceremonial honors freely, but mandates that protect, unify, and govern must be gazetted, respect jurisdiction, and cannot be duplicated or tampered with. A functional title that relates to Yoruba Land can no longer be conferred by a single king. No king in Nigeria presently has functional powers beyond the local governments that constitute their kingdoms.
In modern Nigeria, the survival and relevance of Yoruba kingship depend on recognizing the difference between prestige and power, enforcing clear jurisdictions, and prioritizing community protection over symbolic competition. This is not merely a reform agenda, it is an imperative for institutional preservation, social cohesion, and the continued development of Yoruba land.
Associate Professor Adegbite is an expert in Law, Inclusion and Community Development
