Alaafin: Five Kingmakers Give Governor Seyi Makinde 30 Days to Change Appointment

Five kingmakers from Oyo town and their chosen candidate, Prince Lukman Gbadegesin, have given Governor Seyi Makinde 30 days to change his decision about the new Alaafin of Oyo, Abimbola Owoade.

They threatened to take legal action if the governor didn’t meet their demands.

In a letter dated January 14, 2025, the kingmakers and their lawyer, Kunle Sobaloju, claim that the governor wrongly interfered in the traditional selection process, which should be handled by a council called the Oyomesi under a law from 1961.

They argue that the governor ignored the council’s choice of Prince Gbadegesin and instead used a method involving Ifa (a traditional African religion) consultation, declared illegal by the Oyo State High Court in 2022.

The kingmakers argue that the appointment of Owoade was illegal and are asking for it to be reversed. They say if the governor does not fix this within 30 days, they will go to court.

Their lawyer has listed several legal violations, including not following the Oyomesi’s unanimous decision and other local laws.

They are asking the court for several actions, including an official order to stop Owoade from acting as Alaafin of Oyo, and for the governor to approve Prince Gbadegesin as the rightful Alaafin.

They also want to stop the governor and other officials from recognizing Owoade as the Alaafin of Oyo.

This dispute highlights the ongoing conflict between traditional customs and governmental authority in Nigeria, showing the complex relationship between age-old traditions and modern state rules.