The governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, proposed a new selection process to choose a new monarch to fill the vacant position of Alaafin of Oyo.
Five prominent kingmakers in Oyo town opposed the new process, calling it unlawful and disrespectful to the judiciary.
They are High Chief Yusuf Akinade, Basorun of Oyo; High Chief Wakeel Akindele, Lagunna of Oyo; High Chief Hamzat Yusuf, Akinniku of Oyo; Chíef Wahab Oyetunji, warrant chief standing-in for Asipa of Oyo; and Chief Gbadebo Mufutau, warrant chief standing-in for Alapinni of Oyo.
Their legal representative, Adekunle Sobaloju (SAN), signed a letter to Governor Makinde on behalf of the kingmakers, known as Oyomesi, outlining their position. The document was made accessible to journalists in Ibadan on Thursday.
“Our clients have informed us with confidence that you have appointed Chief Odurinde Olusegun (Alajagba of Ajagba) and Chief Ganiyu Ajiboye (Alago-Oja of Ago Oja) as warrant kíngmakers to join High Chief Asimiyu Atanda (Agbaakin of Oyo) and High Chief Lamidi Oyewale (Samu of Oyo) in order to begin the process of choosing a replacement for Alaafin of Oyo.
“Today, January 9, 2025, the two local government chairmen, the aforementioned warrant chiefs and High Chiefs Asimiyu Atanda, Agbaakin of Oyo and Lamidi Oyewale, Samu of Oyo, who do not agree with the majority of the kingmakers’ decision to choose Prince Lukman Adelodun Gbadegesin as the Alafin-elect, were summoned to the office of the Oyo State Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs, where they were directed to start a new process to fill the Alaafin of Oyo’s seat,” Sobaloju said.
He pointed out that the governor’s attempt to start a new procedure constituted a betrayal of his oath of office, the judiciary, and the nation’s constitution because there was an ongoing legal lawsuit on the subject.
According to Sobaloju, the governor’s action was comparable to his previous one in which he disbanded democratically elected local government councils in the state while ignoring a court case that was still pending.
The Supreme Court later denounced this action as a “Disturbing ugly face of impunity displayed by the Governor of Oyo State, tantamount to executive lawlessness.”
“It would be subjudice and amount to lawlessness and disregard of the superior courts of record to proceed with a new process for the appointment of Alaafin of Oyo, an act from which Your Excellency should disassociate yourself.”
In accordance with the law and the integrity of our courts, he continued, “we, therefore, once again request and urge Your Excellency to suspend any plan to kickstart fresh process for the filling of the vacant stool of Alafin of Oyo while a motion for injunction is pending appeal.”
As you may remember, on April 22, 2022, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, at 83 years old, joined his predecessors, leaving the Oyo throne vacant.
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