Alaafin: How selection process turned controversial

Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade

AS Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State presented  the staff of office to the 46th Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade, on Monday, tongues are still wagging why the selection process was so controversial and unnecessarily prolonged.

Though the same scenario played out in 1970 when Prince Lamidi Adeyemi, the successor to Alaafin Gbadegesin Ladigbolu 11 was announced by the defunct Western Region, no one in his wildest imagination thought the road to the one of the foremost traditional stools, could be so chaotic, rough and bumpy. 

The Alaafin stool was vacant for almost three years after Oba Lamidi Adeyemi joined his ancestors.

The new Alaafin will understand, more than anyone else, that indeed, uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.

Presentation of Instruments of office

Immediately after the approval of the new Alaafin last Friday, the Oyo State Government moved swiftly to present the instrument of office to the new monarch.

The presentation, which took place at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Oyo State Secretariat, Ibadan, was not given much publicity.

Alaafin stool not for sale —Gov Makinde

Apparently alluding to allegations that money exchanged hands among the kingmakers, who did the initial nomination of Prince Gbadegesin and presented same to him, he vowed that he would not sit by and watch the stool of Alaafin commercialized.

The governor went further to say that he would ensure that anyone found culpable of collecting money in the selection process would be prosecuted.

Oyo Mesi will be prosecuted — Makinde

The governor gave the estranged kingmakers an option if they don’t want to be prosecuted.

“Let me also say briefly that those that are still hell-bent on destabilising the traditional institution in Oyo, the government is not letting down. We will prosecute them. The money they collected; they will still be prosecuted except they go to Kabiyesi. If he forgives them, I will also forgive them,” the governor maintained.

“The Alaafin stool is very important not just to Oyo Town or Oyo State but the entire Yoruba race. So, under my watch, I made it very clear that the stool would not be for sale. It is not a stool for us to toy with.

“From today, we have an Alaafin. I congratulate the Alaafin of Oyoland, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade. I pray that your reign shall bring unity to Yoruba race wherever they may be around the world,” Governor Makinde said.

I met new Alaafin first time on Sunday— Gov Makinde

To further prove that he was very transparent in the whole affair, he explained that he was meeting him (Alaafin) for the first time.

“I met Prince Owoade for the first time in my life yesterday. I never spoke to him in my entire life until yesterday. I did not know his profile or the profile of any of the princes vying for the stool and it was deliberate, because I did not want my opinion to influence the process.

“Let me say this clearly; when we came in 2019, we had challenges with the traditional institution in Ibadanland and it has been resolved to everybody’s satisfaction.

“When it was time for us to approve the selection of Okere, some people came to me and said: ‘This is our friend’. They said one person is APC and I said it does not mean anything to me whether you are PDP or APC. Why should my decision be based on political consideration? So, I approved the selection of the Saki kingmakers.

“I always tell people not to kill themselves over politicians, because we see ourselves in the night. We go to each other’s houses. Politics, electioneering is a game. It’s only when you have been elected, then governance becomes a serious business because you will take decisions that will affect millions of people. So, we will not play politics with governance.

“The Alaafin stool became vacant in 2022. We were moving towards election and people said, you have to approve the appointment of Alaafin, otherwise, Oyo people would not vote for you. I said the people should not vote for me but that I would do what was right and Oyo voted for me massively. Oyo will continue to support me.The coronation would be in four weeks”