At the formal opening ceremony of LAUTECH’s faculty of agriculture in Iseyin, the Executive Governnor of Oyo State, Governor Seyi Makinde while addressing the people of Iseyin and other guests across the State congratulated the people of Iseyin for the appointment of the new Aseyin of Iseyin. The Governor made a detour in his speech to the matter bothering on the selection of new Alaafin. He made the audience to know that the position of the Alaafin will not be commodified. The Governor emphasized that Alaafin’s stool is very important to the Yoruba race and that the process for filling the vacant stool should not be monetized. He frowned at those who collected money to fill the vacant stool and made a promise to hand over those involved to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC). This statement by the Governor of Oyo State was reacted to, by those Kingmakers who felt threatened by the EFCC angle, on the social media by broad display of the letter purportedly signed by the Oyomesi wherein they picked Prince Lukman Gbadegesin as the Alaafin Elect.
A section of the Oyomesi in Council inclusive of High Chief Asimiyu Babatunde the Agbaakin of Oyo, High Chief Lamidi Oyewale, the Samu of Oyo, and Warant Chief, Olu Odurinde however averred that no decision was arrived at on the candidacy of Prince Luqman Gbadegesin. They cited the non-utilization of Ifa Oracle as they promised those aspiring to become Alaafin on the first day of screening and interview. To them, the exercise is still open until they bring it to conclusion through Ifa divination which ought to be the ultimate decider of who occupies the Alaafin’s throne.The other reason is the improper constitution of the warrant Chiefs which in their own opinion is fraught with nepotism on the part of Bashorun and the unsavory cooperation of the Atiba Local Government Officials.
Two Warrant Chiefs who signed the letter purportedly appointing Prince Luqman Gbadegesin, Chief Muftau Gbadebo, the Alapo and Chief AreagoBasorun did not enjoy the approval of the Governor of Oyo State, Governor Seyi Makinde. The process takento appoint these warrant chiefs were defective in content and equity. The Warrant Chiefs were unilaterally selected by the Bashorun of Oyo who rewarded his maternal clan in Oke-apo with the pick of one Muftau Gbadebo, the Alapo. He also replaced the Ashipa of Oyo with one of his junior chiefs, AreagoBasohrun as the second warrant chief. All these actions contravened section 17 of the Oyo State Chiefs laws CAP.28. In the scheming of the Chief Executives of both Atiba and Oyo East Local Government, the name of the two aforementioned warrant chiefs weresmuggled into the list of Kingmakers so as to bend the rules in favour of their preferred candidate.
The dissenting trio of High Chief AsimiyuBabatunde, the Agbaakin, second in hierarchy of the Kingmakers, the High Chief Lamidi Oyewale, IbaSamu, the third in rank in the kingmakers’ hierarchy,and Chief Olu Odurinde the authentic Warrant Chieffurther argued that with the litany of petitions and court cases hanging on Prince Luqman Gbadegesin, the decision to pick him may pitch the Oyomesi against the law, especially section 15(1) sub f(iii) of the Chiefs Law of Oyo State. The three chiefs who are opposed to the aversion that a candidate had been picked by the Oyomesi and all the aspirants to the throne of Alaafin were miffed by the reckless declaration of Prince Luqman Gbadegesin that he was the Alaafin elect after the interview. He subsequently organized merry making at Labamba Hotel to celebrate his purported ascension to the throne of the Alaafin. He even announced then, that his official installation will be on shortly.
The degree to which the officials of both AtibaLocal Government and Oyo East Local Government stuck their necks out on this issue leaves much to be desired. The self-declaration of Prince Luqman is a direct violation of section 21(2) of Oyo State ChiefsLaw. Some of the chiefs opposed to the reckless handling of such matter of utmost solemnity by Basorun Yesufu Akinade Ayoola and his loquacious partner, High Chief Wakili Oyedepo Akindele, the Lagunna of Oyo, fourth in rank, could not imagine the level of debasement of the institution of kingmakers when chiefs appear on the pages of newspaper and on social media antagonizing the advice of the chief Executive of the State who noted that the Oyomesimust not compromise the adherence to due process in their selection of the new Alaafin.
It is the considered opinion of we, the princes that are directly affected by the tardiness in this selection exercise, that the progress and peace of Oyo is paramount to us. We therefore appeal to the Solomonic wisdom of His Excellency Governor Oluseyi AbiodunMakinde to resolve these distractions in favour of fairness and equity. On the final note, we must all remember that the institution of Alaafin and the culture attendant to it represents the norms of the Yoruba race and as such, must not be toyed with. This hindsightsuggests that all efforts must be ensured that the person who occupies the throne be an embodiment of cultureand tradition. It is with this understanding that we must be decorous and allow due process to be followed.
Concerned Princes of the Agunloye Ruling House.
Prince Adeyanju Alabi Ladigbolu
Prince Suleiman Adedotun Gbadegesin
Prince Salami Adegunte Gbadegesin
Prince Muhammed Kolawole Gbadegesin
