ALAAFIN OF OYO: ONLY 49 BONAFIDE PRINCES ARE ELIGIBLE
The traditional stool of the Alaafin of Oyo is the most revered traditional stool and institution in Yorubaland. The Alaafin is the grand custodian of Yoruba culture and tradition. Since the transition of His Imperial Majesty, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, Iku Baba Yeye, The Alaafin of Oyo who was reputed to be walking encyclopedia of Yoruba history the world have continuously been glued to the news owing to the facts that over the last seventeen months the traditional stool have remained vacant.
In Oyo, there is a proverb that says “bi a ba pe lori imo, esin kesin a ma bani ni ibe (translation:when you stay too long on a feaces unpalatable flies will definitely flock around you). There have been rumors and counter rumors and misleading information about the authenticity of the list that was submitted for the screening interview for the highly revered traditional stool in Yorubaland.
For the records, “itose loni Oyo” (in Oyo there is due process) there are only forty-nine (49)bonafide names from the Agunloye Ruling house after the peace meeting that was held on the 17th of August, 2022 after exhaustive deliberations submitted to the Oyomesi who are the kingmakers through Baba Iyaji (head of the Princes and Princesses) Chief Mukaila Afonja which was signed and submitted by the Mogaji of Agunloye Ruling house Prince Adeladan S. Ademola on the 23rd of August, 2022 as the list of Princes who are eligible to vie for the vacant throne of the Alaafin of Oyo.
For the records it is pertinent that we state the entire names in the chronology that it was listed as contained in the list with all Princes and Mogajis of the ruling houses.
As at today, the world is waiting patiently and impatiently for the selection of the heir apparent to the throne from the forty-nine bonafide names submitted of which same would definitely be with the government both at the local and state level. The world is watching and waiting for the announcement and these are the names of all the bonafide Princes:
OKE APO (GBADEGESIN)
1. PRINCE ABDUL RASIDI ADEWALE GBADEGESIN.
2. PRINCE (DR) ABIDOYE GBADEGESIN
3. PRINCE ABDRASAK ADEGOKE GBADEGESIN
4. PRIMCE KABIRU ADEBAYO GBADEGESIN
5. PRINCE ISIAK OLATUNDE GBADEGESIN
6. PRINCE ABASS ADELEKE GBADEGESIN
7. PRINCE MONJEED ABIOLA GBADEGESIN
8. PRINCE LUKUMAN ADELODUN GBADEGESIN
9. PRINCE BABAJIDE ADEROJU GBADEGESIN
10. PRINCE ABDMONJEED ADEKUNLE GBADEGESIN
ILAKA OLAWUWO
11. PRINCE (DR) AJIBADE ADEBAYO ADELADAN
12. PRINCE TELLA BILIAMINU KOLAWOLE
13. PRINCE TIJANI HAMEED ADEBAYO
14. PRINCE SALAMI SAHEED BABATUNDE
15. PRINCE LADIGBOLU ADEWALE ADEREMI
16 PRINCE ADEKUNLE MUTAHIR ADEGBOYE
17. PRINCE (ALH) TESLEEM ORIADE LADIGBOLU
18. PRINCE ADEKUNLE KAMAL ADEYEMI
19. PRINCE ADEBISI JELEEL ADENIYI
ISALE-OJA
20. PRINCE OLUOKUN KASALI AGUNLOYE
21. PRINCE ADEKUNLE GAFAR ADEBAYO
22. PRINCE TELLA MAROOF ADENIYI
23. PRINCE OWOADE WAHAB FOLORUNSO ADEREMI
24. PRINCE ADEWUSI MUKAILA OLANREWAJU
25. PRINCE OLAIDE DAUDA OLADIMEJI
26. PRINCE TELLA ADENIYI KAREEM
27. PRINCE AGUNLOYE ADELAYO ADEREMI
28. PRINCE ADEROGBA IDOWU AGUNLOYE
29. PRINCE MOROUNRANTI HAKEEM OLAMIDE ALAYOAYO
30. PRINCE (BARR) ADEGOKE ADEMOLA RASAQ ALAYOAYO
31. PRINCE ISIAKA REMILEKUN ENITAN ADENIYA
32. PRINCE ADEMOLA RASAK ALAYOAYO
33. PRINCE AKINADE ABDUR RAHAMAN ALAYOAYO
34. ARCHBISHOP PRINCE LAWRENCE AYO SANDA LADIGBOLU
35. PRINCE LUKMAN ALABI OLUGBENGA LADIGBOLU
36. PRINCE HAKEEM ABIODUN ADEYANJU AYINDE LADIGBOLU
37. PRINCE AYOBAMI ADEWUMI SANDA LADIGBOLU
38. PRINCE AMIDU ABIODUN LADIGBOLU
39. PRINCE MUIDEEN ADEKUNLE LADIGBOLU
40. PRINCE KOLADE TUNDE SAANI LADIGBOLU
41. PRINCE ADEGBOYEGA IBRAHIM LADIGBOLU
42. PRINCE ABDULQUADRI OPEYEMI LADIGBOLU
43. PRINCE ISMAILA ADEREMI BELAWU ADEKUNLE LADIGBOLU
44. PRINCE ADEBIMPE WASIU ABIODUN LADIGBOLU
45. PRINCE TAOFEEK ADEWUMI LADIGBOLU
46. PRINCE RASAKI KAMORUDEEN OSUOLALE LADIGBOLU
OWOADE AGURE
47. PRINCE OWOADE HAKEEM ADETUNJI
48. PRINCE OWOADE IBRAHIM ABIODUN OLAYIWOLA
49. PRINCE OWOADE AKEEM ABIMBOLA
Who will be selected as the next Alaafin of Oyo is what we are all waiting for the announcement from the government under the leadership of His Excellency, Gov. Abiodun Seyi Makinde trusting Oyomesi would have submitted their conclusions.