The Olawoyin family of Oyo town, Oyo State, has described the 1961 Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy declaration, still being operated to determine Alaafin ascendancy, as exclusionary.
Addressing a press conference in Oyo town, on Monday, the head of the family, Mr Tijani Olawoyin queried the subsisting declaration which recognises the Alowolodu and Agunloye families as the only two ruling houses.
The declaration made under Section 4(2) of the chiefs law, cap. 19 of the customary law, regulating the selection of the Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy, and approved on August 16, 1961, stipulates that the two ruling houses of Agunloye and Alowolodu are in order of rotation entitled to provide candidates to fill successive vacancies.
As against the present recognition of two ruling houses, Olawoyin, while addressing journalists, claimed that the progenitor of Oyo kingdom, Alaafin Atiba had 21 descendants.
He listed the 21 descendants of Alaafin Atiba thus: Adelu; Adelabu; Adesiyan; Adeyemi; Adediran; Adejumo; Olawoyin; Tella Agbojulogun; Ala; Adewusi; Adesetan I; Adeleye; Adesetan II; Adedotun; Afonja; Agbonhin; Tella Okitipapa; Ogo; Momodu; Adesokan and Adejojo.
Speaking further, Olawoyin held that Alaafin Atiba did not leave behind any instructive decision banning or excluding any of his male children from contesting cum ascending to the Alaafin stool whenever it becomes vacant.
He said with the occupancy of the stool having rotated between Alowolodu and Agunloye families, it was the turn of Olawoyin family to produce the next Alaafin.
Referencing history, Olawoyin gave an account of how, in 1968, after the demise of Alaafin Bello Gbadegesin, the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters appealed to him to step down for the Alaafin stool race with a promise to conduct an inquiry into the true sons of Atiba who were entitled to the throne.
To fulfill the promise made, he noted that the government constituted a commission of inquiry headed by Adekunle Ladeinde in April 1974.
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Olawoyin claimed that, at the conclusion of the commission’s inquiry in July 1975, it recommended that the Alaafin of Oyo declaration is defective and prepare a new declaration providing for only one ruling house, the Atiba Ruling house, to include all the descendants of Atiba.
He decried that successive governments have failed to implement the recommendations, urging Governor Seyi Makinde-led government to pragmatically handle the processes towards the emergence of the next Alaafin.
Speaking, Olawoyin said: “Shortly after the demise of Alaafin Bello Gbadegesin, numerous princes from different royal quarters in Oyo applied to vie for the vacant stool including my humble self.
“Fifty-four of us contested the seat by writing through Sanda Maradesa, the then Baba-Iyaji. The number was pruned to three which include Prince Sanda Oladepo Oranlola Adeyemi, Prince Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi and me.
“A lot of heated controversies ensued as there was no consensus ad-idem on who should be presented within the trio of us. It was in this situation that the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs invited and informed me to soft pedal and promised to conduct an inquiry into the true sons of Atiba who were entitled to the throne because Agunloye and Alowolodu families were already captured in the declaration.
“This development resulted in the selection of a candidate from the Alowolodu Adeyemi family after three years. Thereafter, Alaafin Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi II was installed and reigned till 2022.
“From the chronology of ascendancy to the throne, it is clear that no Alaafin had ever been selected or appointed by consulting the Ifa oracle against the popular discharge from certain quarters.
“To fulfill the promise made, the then government constituted commission of inquiry headed by Adekune O. Ladeinde in April, 1974 and commenced the exercise in May, 1975 with terms of reference which goes thus: ‘to investigate the correctness or otherwise of the existing registered declaration in respect of the Alaafin of Oyo chieftaincy and to recommend in the lights of its findings whether the declaration should be amended or not.’
“’The commission of inquiry recommended and declared that the chieftaincy Declaration in respect of Alaafin of Oyo is defective and to prepare a new Declaration providing for only one Ruling House, the Atiba Ruling House, to include all the Descendants of Atiba.’
“It is on the strength of these illuminating and instructive averments contained in the foregoing that I submit that our progenitor – Alaafin Atiba did not leave behind any instructive decision banning or excluding any of his male children from contesting and or ascending the stool whenever it is vacant.
“To this end, I make a passionate plea to the Oyo State Government to toe the line of justice by ensuring Olawoyin Royal family in conjunction with other male descendants of Alaafin Atiba are not only captured in the declaration but also recognised in the selection/appointment to fill the vacant stool.”
Other members of the Olawoyin family present at the press conference were: Ahmed Olawoyin; Yinus Olawoyin; Ismaheel Olawoyin; Yusuff Olawoyin; Dr Rasheed Olawoyin; Abdulganiyu Olawoyin; Ismaheel Olawoyin; Fatimah Omolakanbi; Bello Afusat.
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