Traditional kingmakers in Oyo town have announced that they are eagerly awaiting the approval of Oyo State Governor, Gov. Seyi Makinde, for the official inauguration of the new Alaafin.
High Chief Yusuf Akinade, the Basorun of Oyo, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with our correspondent. Additionally, an unconfirmed document surfaced, suggesting that a new Alaafin was selected in October 2022.
The Oyo Mesi, the traditional kingmakers, have forwarded the name of the nominated prince to Governor Seyi Makinde, who has not yet announced the kingmakers’ choice. According to the Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration, which governs the selection of a new Alaafin, a petition may be submitted to the government within 21 days if there are objections to the selection. However, such a petition must originate from an aspirant or the ruling house.
It has been almost a year since the selection process was completed and communicated to the government. The late Alaafin Lamidi Adeyemi, who reigned for nearly 52 years, passed away on April 22, 2022, at the age of 83.
The Basorun of Oyo, Chief Yusuf Akinade, confirmed that the selection process had concluded and that they were now awaiting a formal announcement from the state government. He explained, “We concluded the selection process for the new Alaafin on October 4, 2022, and we immediately informed the state government of our decision. As required by the law, we did not receive any petitions against our decision, but a lawsuit was filed against us.”
Akinade continued, “We hired our lawyer, and we won the case. The court ruled that the initial decision made by Oyo Mesi was correct. Since then, we have been expecting the governor to make an announcement, but he has not done so. We will continue to wait for him to do that.”
Responding to speculation that the governor might seek to initiate another selection process, Akinade reassured the public, stating, “We will never do that. God will not allow us to see such a setback. The complete Oyo Mesi has conducted a process that has been completed, and we have all signed off on it. We will wait until the governor is ready to announce the candidate we have selected.”
The state’s Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, confirmed that the government had been informed of the Oyo Mesi’s decision. However, he added that the governor is taking his time to ensure a thorough review, in accordance with the law. Oyelade explained, “The Oyo Mesi has every right to carry out its responsibilities. Nevertheless, the statute allows His Excellency to exercise final authority on the matter, as provided by the law, to ensure that no errors or misconduct occur, potentially leading to embarrassment or litigation, as was the case with the former Eleruwa of Eruwa.”
Regarding the legal aspect of the matter, Oyelade mentioned that the government would adhere to due process and address the issue further through the Honourable Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General in due course.
