A simmering tension is brewing in the ancient city of Oyo, as the kingmakers in Oyo and MURIC, the Islamic human rights organisation have described the appointment of Prince Abimbola Owoade as the new Alaafin by Governor Seyi Makinde as illegal, illegitimate, unlawful, unconstitutional and the height of impunity.
Five kingmakers from the town declared the appointment null and void in a statement on Friday, saying they did not recommend such a name to the state government.
They insisted that the only person they recommended as the next Alaafin is Prince Lukman Gbadegesin.
“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 a 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 approve 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 noted that they were surprised that in the announcement by the government, it claimed that the selection was made after wide consultation 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.
“Any meeting of few kingmakers and emergency warrant chiefs held at the Governor’s office 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 Alafin of Oyo Chieftaincy but unlawful, illegal, invalid, null, and void.
“It is not the duty of the governor to convene the meeting of a 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 said.
On it’s part, MURIC, in a statement by its Chairman in Oyo State, Barr Abdulwaheed Lawal, and Secretary, and Amb. Mallam Ibrahim Agunbiade, respectively, said that “It is surprising that Governor Seyi Makinde could ignore the recent letter written by the Oyo Kingmakers, expressing their displeasure with the Governor’s attempt to restart the selection process despite a pending court case. The new selection is therefore sub judice.
“Besides, Makinde has made a caricature of the tradition and custom of the ancient town of Oyo Alaafin with this appointment. It is lawlessness without borders,” it said.
Governor Makinde, had on Friday announced Abimbola Akeem Owoade as the new Alaafin of Oyo.
The announcement was made in a statement issued on Friday by Dotun Oyelade, commissioner for information and orientation.
Owoade’s appointment comes over two years since the death of Lamidi Adeyemi, who was Alaafin from 1970 to 2022.
Dotun said after “thorough consultations and divinations,” Makinde approved Owoade as Alaafin following recommendations by the Oyomesi (kingmakers).
“Hon. Ademola Ojo called on all citizens of Oyo State to join the government in celebrating this momentous occasion and lend their support to the new Alaafin of Oyo. The Commissioner prays that his reign will bring peace, prosperity, and unity to the historic Oyo Kingdom.”
The announcement comes about a day after a five-member faction of the Oyemesi wrote to Makinde, asking the governor to refrain from interfering in the selection process for a new Alaafin.
In a letter signed by Kazeem Sobaloju, their legal counsel, and addressed to Makinde, the kingmakers claimed the governor’s move violates a pending court case on the selection process.
They insisted that the kingmakers had already chosen Lukman Gbadegesin as the Alaafin-elect.
The kingmakers in the faction include Yusuf Akinade, (Basorun), Wakeel Akindele, (Lagunna), Hamzat Yusuf (Akinniku), Wahab Oyetunji, warrant chief standing in for the (Asipa), Gbadebo Mufutau, warrant chief standing in for (Alapinni).
