Uncertainty trails emergence of new Alaafin

AG, Ladigbolu, others dismiss story as rumour

Notwithstanding that Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on Tuesday, said the emergence of the new Alaafin of Oyo would follow the appropriate procedures, social media has been awash with the news that Lukman Ayinla Gbadegesin Agunloye has emerged as the Alaafin-elect.

In what came as a surprise to many yesterday when a social media platform published that Agunloye has been selected as the new Alaafin of Oyo, one of the contestants for the stool, Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu, urged caution over such publication, saying: “As a critical stakeholder in the contest for the stool, I am supposed to know. But as it is, nobody told me anything.

I doubt if the news is true. More so, Makinde told the whole world last Tuesday during the swearing in of Justice Iyabo Yerima as substantive Chief Judge of Oyo State, why the selection of the new Alaafin was delayed. So, we don’t understand what happened between Tuesday and Wednesday when a new Alaafin was allegedly selected.”

The governor said he would rather have the selection of the monarch delayed for the sake of due process rather than record a repeat of a situation where a monarch is removed by the courts for failure to abide by due process.

According to him, once due process is followed, the state would not fret if anyone goes to court to challenge the process of emergence of any monarch.

When contacted, however, the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Oyelowo Oyewo (SAN), expressed surprise with the news.

The law professor said he was not aware of such development, maintaining that the emergence of the new Alaafin would follow the laid-down law of the state.

Oyewo said: “That is not possible now. How can that happen? Did you hear the governor yesterday? It is a social media kite. Some people fly kites. The selection of the new Alaafin is not a guerrilla warfare. The laid down process of law will be followed.

“I am not aware of the emergence or selection of the new Alaafin.”

Also, the Baba-Iyaji of Oyo, who is the head of princes in the town that have roles to play in the emergence of a new Alaafin, Mukaila Afonja, dismissed the story.

He said: “That is how I also heard it. I doubt if it is true. You all heard the governor speak on it on Tuesday. I see it as propaganda.”

Similarly, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Wasiu Olatunbosun, said he was not aware of the development.