A Senior Special Assistant to the President Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, has sparked widespread debate after declaring that the era of imperial dominance associated with the old Oyo empire has passed.

Ajayi also stated that no traditional ruler holds supremacy over others in contemporary Yoruba society.

Ajayi made the remarks in a post shared on X (Formerly Twitter), where he attached a photograph of the current Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, while advancing his argument against perceived hierarchical superiority among Yoruba monarchs.

“We are no longer in the era of the Oyo Empire,” Ajayi wrote. “Rome and the United Kingdom, that once ruled more than half of the world as empires, can no longer claim sovereignty over former colonies. Times have changed. We are now in a new world.”

He maintained that the historical Oyo Empire should not be conflated with present-day cultural or political authority, stressing that Yorubaland was never entirely under the rule of the Alaafin.

“Oyo Empire now belongs to history and the whole of what we now know as Yorubaland was never under the rule of the Alaafin,” he said.

Ajayi further urged traditional rulers in the South-West to embrace collaborative leadership in line with modern realities, arguing that mutual respect among monarchs would better serve their communities.

“The society will function well if the current natural rulers in Yorubaland understand their roles in modern society,” he stated. “Our kings should now work collaboratively to preserve peace, unity and development in their communities whilst preserving our cultural values.”

The post has since triggered mixed reactions on social media, coming after ongoing contentious discussions about hierarchy, influence and power among traditional institutions in Yorubaland.

While some cultural historians and commentators continue to regard the stool of the Alaafin of Oyo as historically pre-eminent within Yoruba civilisation, others argue that the Oyo throne cannot claim overarching authority over the diverse kingdoms that make up the Yoruba race, insisting instead on the primacy of Ile-Ife and the spiritual leadership of the Ooni of Ife.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on political actors and their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully as the February 21, 2026, Rivers State House of Assembly bye-elections draw near.

The appeal was made by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Rivers State, Professor Gabriel Yomere, during a state-level stakeholders’ engagement convened by the Commission in Port Harcourt.

The forum brought together leaders of political parties, security agencies, civil society organisations, traditional rulers, youth groups, and members of the media.

The bye-elections are slated for Ahoada-East Constituency II and Khana Constituency II.

While the Ahoada-East II seat became vacant following the resignation of its former occupant, Edison Ehie, who was appointed Chief of Staff to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Khana II seat has remained vacant since the death of its lawmaker, Dinebari Loolo, in September 2023.

Addressing stakeholders, Professor Yomere explained that the engagement was designed to strengthen collaboration among critical actors and ensure a credible, transparent, and violence-free electoral process.

The REC disclosed that the two constituencies cut across a total of 14 wards, with 242 polling units and a registered voter population of 112,950.

He stressed the importance of peaceful participation to enable eligible voters to exercise their franchise without fear or intimidation.

Professor Yomere further emphasized the need to fill the vacant seats, noting that effective representation of the affected constituencies in the Rivers State House of Assembly is critical to inclusive governance and democratic stability.

He also used the opportunity to brief participants on preparations for the second phase of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.

During the interactive session, stakeholders urged INEC to ensure a level playing field for all political parties and to guarantee the neutrality, professionalism, and integrity of ad-hoc electoral personnel.

Speaking on behalf of political parties, the Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Rivers State, Nnanna Onyekwere, called for strict adherence to the rules of engagement by all contestants, while Convener of the Rivers Peace Initiative, Obinna Ebogidi, emphasised dialogue and restraint as key tools for preventing electoral violence.

On security arrangements, the Commissioner of Police in the state, represented by a Chief Superintendent of Police, James Njoku, assured INEC and other stakeholders of the Command’s readiness to provide adequate security before, during, and after the elections to ensure a hitch-free exercise.

The Pan Niger Delta Forum reconciliation committee set up to mediate in the Rivers State political crisis has met with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike and his successor, Siminalayi Fubara, the two actors in the rift.

PANDEF’s National Chairman and former Ambassador to Scandinavian countries, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway, Dr Godknows Igali, disclosed this in an interview with Sunday PUNCH.

The forum, which is an umbrella of socio-political organisation of the South-South geo-political zone, had recently set up a seven-man reconciliation committee headed by former Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN to explore ways of ending the protracted political crisis in the oil-rich state.

Igali said the committee was made up of respectable Nigerians who are making headway and that both Wike and Fubara are cooperating with the members.

He expressed happiness that the willingness of the two political leaders to make themselves available and give a listening ear to the committee pointed to the fact that they also want peace.

He said aside from Wike and the governor, the committee was also interfacing with other critical stakeholders, including traditional rulers supporting either side, adding that progress was being made and there was no cause for alarm.

“The committee is on the ground as we speak now in Port Harcourt, holding meetings with critical stakeholders. They have met with Wike and the governor. They had an exhaustive meeting with the governor. They have met with elders from the two sides.

“There is a lot of progress taking place. So, there should be no fear. If Wike and the governor were not ready to cooperate, they would not meet with them (committee). That they could accept to meet with them means that they too want a solution,” Igali said.

He allayed the fear of the people on Fubara’s impeachment plot, saying, the crisis would be managed.

Accoring to him, a crisis in Rivers State will affect the entire country.

“We are from a region that has very credible elders. Let the elders intervene and see what they could do. And I can assure you that so far, all parties are cooperating with them.

“So, the committee is very busy meeting people. They may not meet the whole assembly but they meet two or three of their leaders.

“The whole country is disturbed and because the people concerned are people with reputation and integrity and our organisation, PANDEF itself is a regional leading body, so everybody is satisfied with what is happening.”

Meanwhile, the Ijaw National Congress has faulted the decision of the Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly to continue with the impeachment proceedings against Fubara and his deputy, Prof Ngozi Odu, despite several interventions from respected groups within and outside the state.


The INC President, Prof Benjamin Okaba, in an interview with our correspondent on Saturday, said it was a shame that the lawmakers don’t seem to know the law, describing the impeachment move as an exercise in futility.

The INC leader described the impeachment move as “a clear case of vendetta”, saying it would end up as an exercise in futility.

“It is not about the growth of democracy and development in Rivers State or Nigeria. It’s about advancing personal interest above the interest of the state. It is all about what they want, what the actors want and not what is good for the state,” Okaba said.