Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Monday defied opposition from some Oyo kingmakers and presented the staff of office to the newly appointed Alaafin of Oyo, Prince Abimbola Owoade.
This move follows the governor’s announcement of Prince Owoade as the Alaafin-designate, a decision that has sparked controversy and opposition from five prominent members of the Oyomesi. The kingmakers, through their legal representative, Adekunle Sobaloju (SAN), had declared the governor’s choice as illegal, insisting that they had selected Prince Luqman Gbadegesin as the rightful successor to the late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who passed away on April 22, 2022.
In their protest letter to the governor, High Chiefs Yusuf Akínade (Bashorun of Oyo), Wakeel Akindele (Lagunna of Oyo), Hamzat Yusuf (Akinniku of Oyo), and warrant chiefs Wahab Oyetunji (stand-in for Asipa of Oyo) and Gbadebo Mufutau (stand-in for Alapinní of Oyo) reiterated their opposition to Owoade’s appointment.
They contend that the governor’s actions violate the Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy Declaration of 1961, which vests the authority to select the Alaafin solely in the Oyomesi. The kingmakers argue that they had completed the selection process and unanimously endorsed Prince Gbadegesin as Alaafin after rigorous screening of 82 aspirants.
Despite these objections, Governor Makinde presented the certificate and staff of office to Prince Owoade, citing a thorough consultation and divination process that led to his selection. A statement by the Oyo State commissioner for information and orientation, Dotun Oyelade, argued the governor’s authority in ratifying the choice of the new monarch.
Prince Owoade, who hails from the Owoade-Agunloye royal family, is an engineer who has worked in various capacities, including as a planning engineer in Glasgow, UK and as a project coordinator in Manitoba Hydro, Canada.
