No Alaafin-elect has emerged — Palace source

Following the news making the rounds that a new Alaafin of Oyo has emerged, a source within the palace, who is also one of the kingmakers, has dispelled, what he described as a widely spread rumour by one of the contestants to the throne, Prince Lukman Adelodu Gbadegesin, parading himself as the Alaafin-elect.

The source, who spoke with Vanguard on the condition of anonymity, said the process for the selection of a new Alaafin is still ongoing and the report of the consensus candidate has not been presented to the governor for final ratification.

He disclosed that Prince Gbadegesin has been over-ambitious using the media to achieve his personal ambition.

The source further noted that Governor Seyi Makinde just forwarded to the Oyomesi to expedite action on the selection process, and he said, the outcome of the process would be made known soon.

He said: “He is only too ambitious. He is using the media to make himself popular. No new Alaafin has emerged. The selection process is still on and we must follow due process as instructed by the governor.”

“I am saying this without any equivocation that the public about disregard the news widely spread around by him.” No one has selected him as the Alaafin-elect.”

“You know, he did his birthday yesterday and he’s trying to use the media to help himself and find favour.”

“According to Oyo tradition and the Alaafin Chieftain Declaration, the law governing the process of succession, the Baba Iyaji would present the list of the princes to the Oyo Mesi whose head, the Bashorun, would then convene a decision after some screening.”

“The decision meeting, to be witnessed by government officials, would feature a consensus or voting where there is a plurality of choices,” he declared.

Meanwhile, Governor ‘Seyi Makinde has given reason for the delay in the selection process,

insisting that due process must be followed in the selection process to avert unnecessary future legal tussle.

The governor recalled that an incidence of protracted legal tussle which was recorded in the past in the state where a monarch was dethroned by the judiciary after being on the throne for over twenty years, vowing that he would never allow a repeat of the such event under his watch as the governor of the state.

“It is essential to emphasise the importance of institutions to develop our democracy. This is why we need strong institutions, and once the institutions are strong, and we follow the processes that govern the institutions then can build a better society,” Makinde emphasised