The stalemate that consequently came up on the ascension of the new monarch to the Alaafin stool after the demise of His Imperial Majesty, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi (May his soul continue to rest in perfect peace) should be a serious concern and worry to, not only genuine sons and daughters of Oyo, but the entire Yoruba race, both at home and in the Diaspora.
This ugly and unwholesome situation was brought about by shady and dishonorable characters of a certain Oyomesi faction.
On September 5, 2022, the six living Oyomesis; (High Chief Agbaakin; High Chief Samu of Oyo; High Chief Alapinni of Oyo; High Chief Laguna; High Chief Basorun of Oyo and High Chief Akinniku) summoned all the Princes of the Agunloye Ruling House to a meeting at the Aafin Palace with a view to intimating them about the procedure that will be used to select new monarch.
Chief Yusuf Akinade Ayoola, the Bashorun of Oyo, briefed the whole participants at the meeting, where he unequivocally stated in Yoruba language, the translation of which is as follows; “There would be a screening interview to determine who is qualified to procced to the next stage of the selection whereby Ifa consultation would be employed.” All the Princes present welcomed the idea with a loud ovation and appreciated the Oyomesi for the briefing and expressed the belief that the due process would be strictly followed as earlier mentioned by the Bashorun of Oyo.
Basorun further granted numerous interviews on the use of Ifa divination for the selection process in print and on video below a few sources of which are as follows:
Between September 5 and September 22, 2022, the screening exercise for the selection process was conducted for 65 princes after making payment of N200,000 each as enlisting fee. Thereafter, all the participants were told that they would be invited for another meeting to discuss the outcome of the screening.
To the dismay of all the interested candidates for the throne in particular, as well as the general public, some kingmakers derailed in their promise to call a meeting till today. What followed was the spate of violations of the due process from time to time.
The first announcement was that only 10 candidates were shortlisted. Later, some members of a faction of Oyomesi came up with a joker of the year by announcing that the name of Prince Lukman Gbadegesin, has been forwarded to the Oyo State Government as the nominee for the throne of Alaafin.
This news came as a surprise to the three members of Oyomesi: the Agbaakin of Oyo, the Iba Samu of Oyo and Alajagba of Oyo which prompted them to dissent expressing that the selection process, which produced the controversial nominee, was loaded with suspicion and not in compliance with the due process as deliberated and agreed to by all members of the Oyomesi with reference to the use of Ifa divination.
They went further to agitate that one of the seven kingmakers, who voted during the process (apart from the fact that selection was not meant to be by voting), was not even qualified to participate because he did so as the one hurriedly handpicked by a group purposely to accomplish the faction’s selfish intentions. This act was seen as a gross violation of the due process.
It’s disheartening that instead of doing the needful by going back to the drawing board in selecting the new monarch, they were hell-bent to uphold their anti-people result.
They discovered that their only saving grace was to malign the people’s governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde of Oyo State. They began a campaign of calumny on the man, who believes in due process, justice and fair play. The governor was accused of not having interest in the candidate presented by the faction in question.
They accused the governor of employing delay tactics to subvert the will of the kingmakers, yet no evidence of this has been provided. Some misinformed and misguided people of questionable characters in their naivety about the legal framework of the traditional functions of the Oyomesi which had been jettisoned by a faction ofOyomesi, took the governor to court, praying to refrain the governor and his clients from nullifying the choice of their anointed candidate. Those who should by now be prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) suddenly became the ones prosecuting the innocent governor.
The naked truth
That the governor has a vested interest in who becomes the Alaafin of Oyo is a cock and bull story deliberately put together to cover their shameful act of a clique. A case of giving dog a bad name in order to hang it.
The governor is an unbiased and neutral umpire. Governor (Egnr) Scyi Makinde’s concern is that the stool of the Alaafin is important and a historical stool in the African tradition and not just for the Yoruba race alone. To him, Oyo, which is the cradle of Yorubaland, with the Alaafin, who is the Head of Obas throughout Yorubaland, should have an Oba whose selection is through the historical due process of Ifa and not a stool for the highest bidder. For his defence of doing the right, Governor Seyi Makinde deserves immense gratitude and respect from true sons and daughters of Yorùbáland.
For his stand on the path of truth, the governor; a constituted authority for that matter, becomes their avowed enemy and incurred the wrath of a faction of the Oyomesi and their co-travelers in the journey of promoting white lies against our amiable governor. But they need to be reminded that they are the governor’s subjects.
I, Prince Rasheed Adediwura Owoade, the Mogaji of Owoade Royal Family from Agunloye Ruling House, hereby, faithfully declare my unalloyed support for the Governor of Oyo State; Engineer Seyi Makinde, in his affirmed and strong belief in the due process for producing the next Alaafin of Oyo.
Among the various suitable and qualified candidates for the prestigious stool of the Alaafin of Oyo,is our49- year-oldPrince Akeem Abimbola Owoade; an accomplished entrepreneur with several years of experience; an engineer with a major power company owned by a provincial government in Canada, philanthropist and president of a real estate investment and consulting company.
Taking an early interest in engineering, Prince Akcem Abimbola Owoade, began his engineering studies by completing his National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from The Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, and proceeded to The Polytechnic, Ibadan, for his Higher National Diploma. He served as a Corps member at Nigeria Gas Company as a mechanical intern/planner in 2002 and thereafter, worked with the Oceanic International Bank PLC, in Warri, between 2003 and 2004.
He earned his B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering in 2008, at the University of Sunderland, after which he obtained his MSc. also in Mechanical Engineering, at Northumbria University in the United Kingdom in 2012, after which he moved to Canada. Prince Akeem Abimbola Owoade, became certified in Project Management in 2015 (PMP). He is happily married and blessed with children. He is a man of impeccable character. Prince Akcem Owoade was unanimously chosen in 2022 by the entire members of the Owoade
Royal Family, to vie for the stool of the Alaafin of Oyo.
Signed
Prince Rasheed Adediwura Owoade Olori ębi of Owoade Royal Family (Agure compound).
and then