Princes from Oyo’s nine royal families, known as the Atiba 9, have rejected Abimbola Owoade’s selection as Alaafin of Oyo.
The Atiba 9 deemed his appointment undesirable and a flagrant contempt for Oyo’s respected traditions. Recall that Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde delivered the office personnel to the Alaafin-designate on Monday.
The Atiba 9 attacked Makinde’s choice, accusing him of basing it on a pronouncement by US-based Awise Agbaye, Prof. Wande Abimbola, who claimed that Ifa chose Owoade as the future Alaafin of Oyo.
They maintained that Owoade’s nomination violated not only Oyo’s deeply ingrained customs, culture, and traditions, but also the rule of law, which should drive the throne selection process.
This was said in a statement published on Tuesday on behalf of the nine royal families by Prince Sina Afolabi of the Adeitan royal family.
Afolabi emphasised that the families have legitimate claims to the throne and that due process must be followed to preserve the integrity and sanctity of Oyo’s royal institution.
The other eight princes from the Atiba royal families include Prince Remi Azeez (Tella Okitipapa); Prince Lamola Olanite (Olanite); Prince Agboin Adelabu (Adelabu); Prince Raji Adeniran (Adeniran); Prince Nureni Taiwo (Tella Agbojulogun); Prince Muftau Adejare Adesokan (Adesokan Baba Idode); Prince Adesiyan (Adesiyan); and Prince Bello Rasheed (Abidekun).
These princes mentioned that they did not support the selection of Owoade as the Alaafin-designate.
Afolabi also stated that the process that led to Owoade’s emergence was “against the custom and tradition of the Oyo Royal Houses as regards the making and installation of the Alaafin.”
He elucidated that their objection was not personal against Owoade or Prince Lukman Gbadegesin, another contestant earlier chosen by the Oyomesi, as both have legitimate claims to aspire for the throne.
The Atiba 9 claim that the process that produced Owoade was not in line with Oyo town traditions.
They are still pursuing a court case challenging the process that led to the emergence of both Owoade and Gbadegesin as contenders for the throne.
They are committed to ensuring due process is followed to preserve the sanctity and integrity of the Alaafin’s stool.
He went on to clarify that, despite being a proponent of due process, Makinde made a mistake.
Afolabi said, “What the governor did was totally against the highly revered Alaafin stool. His action has reduced the throne to an object of ridicule. It was expected of Governor Makinde, an apostle of due process, to have followed a just line of action and avoid reducing the Alaafin stool or the Alaafin to an Oba Gbandu or Oba Yebuyebu (an ordinary oba without honour).
“When the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, was to be made the oba, he entered Ipebi, and everything was done in accordance with the custom and tradition of Ife before he was proclaimed as the Oonirisa.
“We don’t want our revered stool or the Alaafin to become an object of ridicule and mockery in the future. We don’t want him to be referred to as an oba that was anointed in Ibadan, precisely at the Office of the Governor. We don’t want people to refer to him as an Alaafin that did not enter Ipebi.
“The Alaafin of Oyo is a prominent and first-class traditional ruler in the entire Yoruba land. We, the Atiba 9, are against the process embarked upon by the state government to make Omooba Owoade the Alaafin. It should be stopped, and the right thing must be done in appointing a new Alaafin.
“We don’t have anything personal against Omooba Owoade, who was appointed as the Alaafin on Monday. He too made efforts to become the oba. We don’t have any personal issues with Omooba Lukman Gbadegesin either. However, our group is against the process through which Owoade and Gbadegesin emerged as candidates for the Alaafin stool.
“And what Governor Makinde had done by making Omooba Owoade the Alaafin is an attempt to ridicule the throne. We, the Atiba 9, don’t want it! We respect Professor Wande Abimbola, who consulted Ifa, but if he wants to be fair to all, he should come and consult Ifa at Ojude Ogun here in Oyo.”
The Atiba 9 also asked the Oyomesi, led by Basorun Yusuf Akinade, to work out any internal problems amicably.
They highlighted that the Oyomesi was the sole body with the authority to begin the process of selecting a new Alaafin.
“Whatever is the grouse or disagreement between the Basorun and other members of the Oyo Mesi should be resolved. They should call themselves together and settle their crisis amicably before any process of installing a new Alaafin can be embarked upon,” the statement added.
Afolabi stated that with the current arrangement, any occupant of the Alaafin stool would lose respect from other Yoruba obas.
He added, “If we should look at it critically as things stand now, some obas who are supposed to be taking instructions from the Alaafin will not be doing that; they will not respect him as they will see him as not being properly appointed. The Alaafin should not be reduced to an ordinary oba.
“These are our grouses. We are not against whoever is appointed as the Alaafin, but the process must be in accordance with our established custom, culture, tradition, and the rule of law. Whoever that emerged through such a process will be acceptable to us.”
