By Oyomesi dares Governor Makinde, declares Prince Owoade’s appointment as Alaafin illegal
Ghazali Ibrahim
The Oyomesi, the revered kingmakers of Oyo, have declared the appointment of Prince Abimbola Owoade as the new Alaafin of Oyo by Governor Seyi Makinde as illegal and unlawful.
The five prominent kingmakers, who are responsible for selecting the next Alaafin, have insisted that they did not recommend Owoade’s name for the prestigious position, contrary to claims made by the state government through his commissioner for information and orientation.
The kingmakers, in a statement released to the press, emphasized that the only name they had put forward for the vacant throne of the Alaafin is Prince Luqman Gbadegesin.
They expressed surprise and dismay at the announcement by the state government, which claimed the selection had been made after “wide consultation and divination.”
According to the Registered Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy Declaration of 1967, the power to convene a meeting of the kingmakers for the selection of the new Alaafin lies solely with the Bashorun of Oyo, the head of the Oyomesi.
The kingmakers pointed out that in this case, the Bashorun did not summon any such meeting, nor was there any meeting held at the Alaafin’s palace to formally select or appoint Prince Owoade as the new monarch, as traditional customs demand.
The declaration of the appointment as unlawful has sparked controversy and raised questions about the legal and customary processes involved in selecting the new ruler of Oyo.
The five kingmakers were alleged to have collected a sum of N15 million, as promised by their (Oyomesi) preferred candidate Prince Lukman Gbadegesin— a case which was revealed through investigation by the Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
However, according to a report published by Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), Bashorun of Oyo was revealed to have lied to the media on the selection process of their preferred candidate.
