ALAAFIN’S STOOL- REAL REASONS FOR MAKINDE’S OUTBURST AT ISEYIN
Since becoming Execute Governor of Oyo State in 2019, Engr Oluseyi Makinde had conducted himself in ways and manners that a large section of Oyo State people sees him as a man of decorum. While politicians are good at portraying dual personalities, Governor Seyi Makinde decisions on a number of critical issues can moderately be described as socially correct, calm and polite. Two good references were the ways he handled crises around ascension to the throne of the present Olubadan, His Royal majesty, Oba (Dr) Lekan Balogun and the way he resolved issues with labour leaders in Oyo state recently.
A lot of indigenes and residents of Oyo state were then taken aback with the Governor’s outburst on September 15,2023 in Iseyin, where he had told multitude of prominent indigenes of Oyo state from Oyo zone who had come to witness the commissioning of Iseyin-Oyo Road that “the vacant stool of Alaafin of Oyo is not for sale.”. He said further said that “the state would do everything possible to protect the stool adding that anyone who might have given money to anyone because of the stool would be sent to the Federal anti-graft agency, EFCC.”
To anyone who has been following series of media revelations on tactics been employed by a few of the aspirants and the Kingmakers (Oyo-Mesi) to scuttle historical traditional process of choosing new Alaafin, after the passing on of Late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III on April 22, 2022, the Governor’ outburst is in order and not surprising.
It would be recalled that the ruling house whose turn it is to produce the new Alaafin of Oyo, the Agunloye Ruling House after a peace meeting on August 17th, 2022, submitted list of 49 aspirants (endorsed by Baba Iyaji, Head of the Princes of Oyo) to Oyo Mesi for screening. Shortly after the screening was done, news filtered out that one Prince had “bribed” all members of the Oyo-Mesi to be installed as Alaafin of Oyo. The whole world was shocked when on April 26, 2023, the said “Prince” declared himself “Alaafin elect” in some social media publications. What a sacrilege! It took quick disclaimers from Oyo State Government and the insistence of Governor Makinde for due process to be followed for the fraudulent act to fail.
Again, there have been reports of several arm-twisting efforts on the part of leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to impose 86 years old Retired Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu as Alaafin of Oyo without following due process and approval of the Oyo-Mesi. The plot being financed and orchestrated by “a Prince and current member of Federal House of Representative”, alongside, “a female former Senator from Oyo town “came to the open at Oyo State Secretariat on Tuesday, September 6th, 2023. If not for quick intervention of leadership of Oyo State, the plot unfortunately supported by two (2) members of the Oyo-Mesi would have cause unprecedented mayhem in the peaceful town of Oyo.
It is quite unfortunate that desperation of some of the aspirants with covert support of some members of the Oyo-Mesi had led to long delay in announcing new Alaafin of Oyo. As an institution with a very long history of development and civilization, there are clear and unambiguous processes for selecting new Alaafin of Oyo. The process had survived the oral age of transmission and has been written about by various authors in the past 200 years.
It is then worrisome that some Princes and powerful politicians are hell bent on destroying the highly revered institution of Alaafin of Oyo, with various surreptitious moves to frustrate age-long traditional process of selecting a new Alaafin.
We therefore commend Governor Seyi Makinde for standing on the side of truth and respect for traditions on this matter.
Conclusively, we urge the Governor to call another meeting that we have in attendance all members of the Oyo-Mesi Privy council, Baba Iyaji with clear mandate that due traditional process be strictly adhered to in selection of the new Alaafin of Oyo. Whatever will do today will become history tomorrow. Alaafin stool was occupied by Sango, the revered god of thunder, people should beware of generational curses.
Oluseun Adigun Oriade
Secretary- CDYTI, Ibadan.
