Makinde appoints Prince Abimbola Owoade as new Alaafin of Oyo amid controversy

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Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has approved the appointment of Prince Abimbola Owoade as the new Alaafin of Oyo.

The announcement came on Friday through a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade.

“Prince Abimbola Akeem Owoade, after thorough consultations and divinations, has been recommended by the Oyomesi and approved by Governor Seyi Makinde as the new Alaafin of Oyo,” the statement read.

The Oyomesi, a council of traditional kingmakers, conducted extensive consultations and divinations to select Owoade as the successor to the throne.

The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ademola Ojo, noted that this decision resolves the disputes that followed the passing of the previous Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, who died on April 22, 2022.

“This decision has put to rest all the socio-legal controversies that have arisen since the transition of the late Oba Adeyemi. We urge the people of Oyo State to support the new Alaafin and join the government in celebrating this historic moment,” Ojo said.

Oyelade expressed hope that the new monarch’s reign would bring peace and progress to the Oyo Kingdom.

“We pray that his reign brings progress and harmony to the people of Oyo and strengthens the historic legacy of the Alaafin institution,” he added.

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Residents of Oyo State have been encouraged to support the new Alaafin as he assumes his role over the ancient kingdom.

However, the appointment has not been without controversy. Following Oba Adeyemi’s death, the selection process for a new Alaafin sparked significant disputes.

Earlier in the week, Governor Makinde had directed a fresh selection process, a move rejected by five prominent kingmakers on Thursday.

The dissenting kingmakers, including the Basorun of Oyo, High Chief Yusuf Akinade; the Lagunna of Oyo, High Chief Wakeel Akindele; and others, asserted that Prince Lukman Gbadegesin had already been chosen as the Alaafin-elect. They argued that the ongoing legal proceedings should be concluded before any official announcement.

Their legal counsel, Adekunle Sobaloju, criticized the governor’s actions as illegal and called for the suspension of the process until the court delivers its verdict.