Prince Lukman Gbadegesin, one of the princes aspiring to the throne of the Alaafin of Oyo, has debunked the rumour that he had declared himself the king.
“It is mere propaganda without any of iota fact,” Prince Gbadegesin said when contacted by OYOINSIGHT.COM.
“I am well grounded in our traditional processes having learnt at the feet of my late father Aremo Sanni Gbadegesin Ladigbolu and read extensively the vast literature on Oyo traditions. So, there is no way I could have done that. This is in fact my first time of speaking to any journalist on the Alaafin matter. So where?”
The Prince said the rumour was spread to undermine his aspiration and the selection process.
“Ask them to point to anywhere or any time that I ever did that. Nowhere. Like my other brother princes from the esteemed Agunloye Family, I have submitted myself to the process initiated by the Oyo Mesi, trusting Olorun Eledumaru that He will guide them to pick the best for us.
“Until the process is completed, nobody is a king. We all have to respect the process and we should not resort to lies against one another in desperation. We should remember we are all of the same roots.
“I say again, emphatically, that I never declared myself Alaafin, nor has Oyo Mesi proclaimed me the new Alaafin.
“The photographs distributed were taken when I visited Oyo for my interview session with the Oyo Mesi. If our people welcomed me warmly, should I have pushed them away? No. These are people I have known and related with for decades.
“It is for all us now to continue to respect the process and unite to move Oyo forward regardless of the person picked from among us.
“I shouldn’t have talked but many could be misinformed. Let them show where or when I self-declared,” the Prince said.
