CONFUSION IN OYO AS GOV. SEYI MAKINDE NAMES ABIMBOLA OWOADE AS ALAAFIN OF OYO, KINGMAKERS PICK LUKMAN GBADEGESIN AS ALAAFIN ELECT
Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo state, has announced Abimbola Akeem Owoade as the new Alaafin of Oyo.
The announcement was made in a statement issued on Friday by Sulaimon Olanrewaju, the governor’s chief press secretary.
Owoade’s appointment comes over two years since the death of Lamidi Adeyemi who was Alaafin from 1970 to 2022.
Meanwhile five of the Oyo mesi’s insisted that Prince Lukman Gbadegesin is Alaafin elect
The five kingmakers faulted Governor Seyi Makinde’s directive to initiate a fresh selection process to pick a new Alaafin of Oyo, asserting that Prince Lukman Gbadegesin has already been chosen as the Alaafin-elect.
The kingmakers opposing the governor’s action include the Basorun of Oyo, High Chief Yusuf Akinade; the Lagunna of Oyo, High Chief Wakeel Akindele; the Akinniku of Oyo, High Chief Hamzat Yusuf; a warrant chief standing in for Asipa of Oyo, Chief Wahab Oyetunji; and a warrant chief standing in for Alapinni of Oyo, Chief Gbadebo Mufutau.
In a letter addressed to the governor and signed by their legal counsel, Adekunle Sobaloju (SAN), the kingmakers claimed the governor’s move disregards a pending court case concerning the selection process.
The letter reads “We have just been reliably informed by our clients that you have just through the Oyo State Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs and Chairmen of Atiba and Oyo East Local Government appointed (1) Chief Odurinde Olusegun (Alajagba of Ajagba) (2) Chief Ganiyu Ajiboye (Alago-Oja of Ago Oja) as warrant kingmakers to join High Chief Asimiyu Atanda (Agbaakin of Oyo) and High Chief Lamidi Oyewale (Samu of Oyo) to kickstart the process of selecting another candidate to fill the vacant stool of Alaafin of Oyo.
