Prince Lukman Gbadegesin, businessman and socialite is heading to court to challenge the appointment and presentation of the staff office to Prince Ab
Prince Lukman Gbadegesin, businessman and socialite is heading to court to challenge the appointment and presentation of the staff office to Prince Abimbola Akeem Owoade as the new Alaafin of Oyo by the state governor Seyi Makinde.
Gbadegesin, who the majority of Oyo’s Kingmakers designated as the next Alaafin, is appealing that the court set aside the appointment, approval of appointment and presentation of staff of office to a new Alaafin carried out by the governor.
In a pre-action notice, signed by his legal representative, Adekunle Sobaloju SAN, a copy of which was addressed to the governor, he insisted that the governor’s actions runs afoul of the Oyo State Chiefs’ Law 2000
“The governor’s alleged reliance on Ifa consultation contradicts the judgment of the Oyo State High Court of 19th December 2022, which declared Ifa consultation In the selection process unlawful, as It Is not provided for in the Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration of 1961, and the allegations of bribery by two Oyomesi members, raised over a year after the selection, lack credibility and were not formally communicated to the governor or investigated,” the letter read.
Back in June 2024, Lamidi Oyewale and Asimiyu Atanda, Oyomesi chiefs, told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that Gbadegesin offered each of the five kingmakers N15 million during the Alaafin selection process.
Yusuf Ayoola (Basorun), Lamidi Oyewale (Sanu), Asimiyu Atanda (Agbaakin), Hamzat Yusuf (Akinniku) and Wakeel Oyedapo had gone to court to claim that the Oyo State Government was using the EFCC to witch hunt them.
His lawyer noted that he is seeking “an order setting aside the purported appointment, approval of appointment and presentation of staff of office to Prince Abimbola Akeem Owoade as Alaafin of Oyo as it was done in violation of the provisions of the Chief’s Law of Oyo State, 2000, the Registered Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration of 1961, unlawful, unconstitutional, invalid, null and void” and a declaration that he “was validly selected and or appointed by the Kingmakers of Alaafin of Oyo as the candidate to fill the vacant stool of the Alaafin of Oyo in accordance with Chiefs Law of Oyo State, 2000 and the Registered Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration of 1961 and therefore his appointment is valid, lawful and proper.”
