After the demise of Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, expectations were high that the succession processes would be peaceful and expedited without rancour. This optimism is planked on the fact that the ancient city, with an iconic and rich monarchical history, has only one ruling house- the Atiba family.
The Atiba family’s progenitor, Atiba Atobatele gave birth to 11 princes, whose family names are Agunloye (Ladigbolu), Adesiyan, Alowolodu (Adeyemi), Olanite, Tella Agbojulogun, Adelabu, Baba Idode, Abidekun, Adediran and Adeitan.
However, from inception, only Agunloye and Alowolodu families have been occupying the throne, in succession to each other. The arrangement further derived its legality from the Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration of 1961, which gave recognition to the two branches of Atiba family, the right to occupy the throne.
The late Oba Adeyemi was from the latter. This means that the Agunloye ruling house will produce the next Alaafin.
The seemingly slow process of choosing a new Alaafin of Oyo is causing disquiet in the kingdom one year after the demise of the long-reigning monarch.
Oba Adeyemi’s 51 years on the throne made him the longest reigning Alaafin before he died on April 22, 2022 at the age of 83 years. He passed on at the Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, following a brief illness.
Following Alaafin Adeyemi’s death, an intense competition ensued between the Agunloye princes, who registered their aspiration to mount the throne to the Oyo Mesi through the Baba Iyaji, the lead of ruling houses.
According to the 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.
The influential retired Archbishop of Methodist Church, who is also a prince from Agunloye family, Most Reverend Ayo Ladigbolu, in an interview with Vanguard, affirmed Agunloye and Alowolodu families as the two recognised by the law to occupy the Alaafin throne.
The succession chair, was therefore, expected to swing expeditiously in favour of a candidate from the clergyman’s clan.
According to reports, this process was said to have been completed since last year October when the Oyo Mesi was allegedly said to have chosen a prince by consensus and forwarded the decision to Governor Seyi Makinde.
A section of the community is angry because, since the demise of the former Alaafin, important cultural and traditional activities in the ancient kingdom have been put on hold.
Also, the Muslims are angry that a new Chief Imam cannot be appointed for the central mosque in the city because the Alaafin stool is still vacant.
We have 86 contestants eying vacant Alaafin of Oyo stool-Palace Spokesperson
Meanwhile, as of last year September, about 86 persons declared interest in the vacant Alaafin of Oyo stool.
According to the Director of Media and Publicity in the Alaafin of Oyo, Palace, Bode Durojaiye, the Head of Oyo Princes, Chief Mukaila Afonja, submitted the names of the individuals eyeing the throne to the Basorun of Oyo, High Chief Yussuf Ayoola.
Durojaiye said the Basorun summoned an emergency meeting of all members of the Oyo Traditional Council (Oyo Mesi) on the development upon the receipt of the names.
He said: “In attendance at the meeting was the Chairperson, Atiba Local Government, Alhaja Kafilat.
At the end of the meeting, it was resolved that all the contestants should, as a matter of utmost concern, attend a peace meeting, was then slated for Saturday, September, 3 2022, at the Agbala Ogun Hall in the Palace.
During the process of interviewing the contestants, speculations went viral that one of the contestants for the Alaafin of Oyo stool, Lukman Gbadegesin, had been appointed as the new Alaafin-elect.
Miffed by the development, the kingmakers quickly dismissed the report, saying the process for the selection of a new Alaafin is still on-going.
A kingmaker, who spoke to Vanguard in confidence, 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 noted 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.”
# We’ve not approved new Alaafin – Oyo govt
The state government, through the immediate-past Commissioner for Information, Dr. Wasiu Olatunbosun, equally responded to the report, insisting that the state government had not approved or recognised anyone as the new Alaafin of Oyo.
Olatunbosun, in a chat with Vanguard, urged residents to desist from spreading such rumour.
His words: “As far as we are concerned, we must follow due process. The moment the process is completed, we will make it public.”
“The process is ongoing, the state government has not approved or recognised anyone as the new Alaafin of Oyo.”
# Ladigbolu warns against fake news
Meanwhile, another contestant for the vacant Alaafin of Oyo stool, Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu, warned against fake news over the alleged emergence of the Oyo monarch.
During a chat with Vanguard, the retired Bishop said there was the need for caution over such publication.
He said: “As a critical stakeholder in the contest for the stool, I am supposed to know. But as it is, nobody told me anything.”
“I doubt if the news is true. More so, Makinde told the whole world during the swearing-in of Justice Iyabo Yerima as substantive Chief Judge of Oyo State, why the selection of the new Alaafin was delayed.”
“So, we don’t understand what has happened when a new Alaafin was allegedly selected.”
“The governor said he would rather have the selection of the monarch delayed for the sake of due process rather than record a repeat of a situation where a monarch is removed by the courts for failure to abide by due process.”
“According to him, once due process is followed, the state would not fret if anyone goes to court to challenge the process of emergence of any monarch.”
# Hope of new Alaafin hits the rock
However, the hope of fielding a new Alaafin before May 29, has hitting the rock as earlier stated by Iba Samu of Oyo Empire, Chief Lamidi Oyewale, who is one of the ‘Oyo Mesi’ (King Makers) in Oyo town, during the one year remembrance prayer held for the late Oba Adeyemi.
During the prayer session, he said tag of a new Alaafin of Oyo will likely emerge before May 29 this year, adding that the delay in the current ongoing process to choose the new monarch is to have rancour-free coronation and peaceful reign of the new monarch.
He noted that the process of choosing the monarch is a painstaking one and assured that there won’t be any problem when the new king eventually emerges.
According to him, Oyo town had, in the past, been without a king for over three years and there was no problem or a breakdown of law and order.
“It’s just a year the late Alaafin died. Before the swearing-in of the governor, a new Oyo monarch will emerge.”
“I don’t want to comment much on the process of the emergence of new Alaafin. I’ve said a lot of things and granted a lot of interviews concerning it. Though we have little challenges, my prayer is that God will give us another king that will better our lives,” he said.
By Adeola Badru
