No Alaafin-elect has emerged ---- Palace source

Ex-Alafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III. 

CONTRARY to news making the rounds that a new Alaafin of Oyo has emerged, one of the kingmakers, has dismissed the report, saying the process for the selection of a new Alaafin is still on-going. 

There were speculations that one of the contestants to the throne, Prince Lukman Gbadegesin, has emerged as the new Alaafin-elect.

The kingmakers, disclosed that the report of the consensus candidate has not been presented to the governor for final ratification. 

The source alleged that Prince Gbadegesin has been over-ambitious using the media to achieve his ambition.

The source further stated that Governor Seyi Makinde has urged the Oyo Mesi to expedite action on the selection process, and he said the outcome of the process would be made known soon.

The kingmaker said: "He is only too ambitious. He is using the media to make himself popular. No new Alaafin has emerged. The selection process is still on and we must follow due process as instructed by the governor.

"I am saying this without any equivocation that the public should disregard the news widely spread around by him. No one has selected him as the Alaafin-elect.

"You know, he celebrated his birthday yesterday and he’s trying to use the media to help himself and find favour.

"According to Oyo tradition and the Alaafin Chieftain Declaration, the law governing the process of succession, the Baba Iyaji would present the list of the princes to the Oyo Mesi whose head, the Bashorun, would then convene a decision after some screening.

"The decision meeting, to be witnessed by government officials, would feature a consensus or voting where there is a plurality of choices.”

Culled from Vanguard