The kingmakers in Oyo, traditionally known as Oyomesi, have condemned governor Seyi Makinde’s appointment of Prince Abimbola Owoade as the new Alaafin
The kingmakers in Oyo, traditionally known as Oyomesi, have condemned governor Seyi Makinde’s appointment of Prince Abimbola Owoade as the new Alaafin, calling it illegal and invalid.
Last Friday, the state government announced that Makinde had approved the selection of a new Alaafin, filling the position two years after it became vacant.
However, five kingmakers from Oyo have rejected the appointment, declaring it null and void. They asserted that Prince Abimbola Owoade was not among the candidates they recommended to the state government. Instead, they maintain that their sole nominee for the Alaafin throne is Prince Luqman Gbadegesin.
In a letter addressed to the Governor and signed by their legal representative, Adekunle Sobaloju SAN, the Kingmakers reaffirmed their stance. The letter was endorsed by High Chief Yusuf Akinade, the Bashorun of Oyo; High Chief Wakeel Akindele, the Lagunna of Oyo; High Chief Hamzat Yusuf, the Akinniku of Oyo; Chief Wahab Oyetunji, acting as a warrant chief for the Asipa of Oyo; and Chief Gbadebo Mufutau, acting as a warrant chief for the Alapinni of Oyo.
“You will recall that on 30th September, 2022 at the meeting of the Kingmakers in accordance with the Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy Declaration, 1961, the kingmakers appointed Prince Lukman Adelodun Gbadegesin as the Alaafin of Oyo by majority of the lawful votes of the Kingmakers.
“Prince Lukman Adelodun Gbadegesin having obtained the majority of votes of the kingmakers present and voting was deemed appointed and his name was forwarded to your Excellency as the candidate appointed by the kingmakers as Alaafin of Oyo for your approval which you refused to approved for no disclosed reason at all. The kingmakers thereafter filed an action to stop your excellency from truncating the process, culminating in the present appeal at the court of appeal,” the letter read.
They expressed their surprise at the government’s announcement, which stated that the selection was made following extensive consultations and divination.
“We must emphatically state that the Alaafin is not chosen by consultation or divination but in strict compliance with the Registered Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy Declaration of 1967, which codifies the native law and custom governing the selection process for the vacant stool of the Alaafin.
“Under the Registered Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy Declaration of 1967, it is only the Bashorun of Oyo, the head of the Oyomesi and kingmakers that can, summon a meeting of the kingmakers for the purpose of selecting a candidate to fill the vacant stool of the Alaafin of Oyo. In this instance, the Bashorun did not summon any such meeting, nor was there any meeting convened in the Alaafin’s palace, as custom demands where the said Prince Abimbola Akeem Owoade was selected or appointed as the new Alaafin.
“Any meeting of few kingmakers and emergency warrant chiefs held at the Governor’s office on the 8th of January, 2025 or elsewhere at the instance of the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, to select the preferred candidate of the Governor as the new Alaafin is not only contrary to the native law and custom and chieftaincy declaration of Alaafin of Oyo chieftaincy but unlawful, illegal, invalid, null and void.
“It is not the duty of the governor to convene the meeting of few kingmakers and emergency warrant chiefs to select or appoint a new Alaafin on the 9th of January, 2025 and hurriedly approve the appointment on the 10th of January, 2025,” they added.
