ABIMBOLA Owoade has been officially crowned as the 46th Alaafin of Oyo.
He succeeds the 45th Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Adeyemi II, who died in April 2022.
His coronation, held on Saturday, April 5, at Oliveth Baptist High School in Oyo town, drew a crowd of traditional rulers and dignitaries led by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.
Among those present were the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Olaoye; Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi; and the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams.
The state governor had on January 13 presented the staff of office to Owoade at the Governor’s Office in Agodi, Ibadan, formally recognising him as the new custodian of the ancient Oyo Kingdom.
At the time, the governor expressed confidence in the monarch’s ability to unify the kingdom and uphold its rich cultural legacy.
Makinde described the monarch as a custodian of Oyo’s rich heritage, expressing optimism that the new Alaafin’s reign would foster unity and preserve the cultural legacy of the historic kingdom.
He said, “We are assured that Oba Owoade will lead with wisdom, integrity, and a strong commitment to fostering unity.”
The ICIR reports that the new Alaafin’s installation came over a year after the demise of Oba Adeyemi III, who reigned for over five decades.
His installation also followed months of deliberations by the Oyomesi, with the traditional kingmakers, who had earlier recommended Lukuman Gbadegesin as the preferred choice to occupy the revered stool.
However, despite his selection by the Oyomesi, who have the responsibility of vetting and recommending kings, Owoade was appointed by the state government on January 10, paving the way for his coronation.
Consequently, the Oyomesi opposed the appointment, describing it as illegal and invalid.
In a letter addressed to the governor and signed by their lawyer, Adekunle Sobaloju, on Friday, January 10, five of the Oyo kingmakers declared the appointment null and void, asserting that they had not recommended the appointee to the state government.
The kingmakers, who made this declaration include Yusuf Akínade, Bashorun of Oyo; Wakeel Akindele, Lagunna of Oyo; and Hamzat Yusuf, Akinniku of Oyo.
Others are Wahab Oyetunji, a warrant chief stand-in for Asipa of Oyo; and Gbadebo Mufutau, a warrant chief stand-in for Alapinní of Oyo.
Although there were controversies surrounding Gbadegesin’s recommendation, the Bashorun of Oyo, Yusuf Akinade, in 2023, insisted that the selection process adhered to due process and was unanimously approved by all seven kingmakers.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M