There is disquiet at Agunloye ruling house of Oyo over revelation that a list of 119 candidates has been handed over to the Oyomesi for consideration in selecting the next Alaafin of Oyo.
The family, which is to produce the next Alaafin in accordance with the law, on June 9 submitted a list of 48 candidates to Baba Iyaji (head of princes) High Chief Mukaila Afonja for onward transmission to the Oyomesi as prescribed by custom.
Presenting the list, the head of the ruling house, Pa Samuel Adeladan, told Baba Iyaji that the 48 candidates were those that scaled through basic screening by the heads of the sub-units of the family and the selection committee.
He said the high chief should not entertain application from any other person or group posing as members of the ruling house.
Responding, High Chief Afonja said he was abreast of the Alaafin Oyo Chieftaincy Declaration, which stated that the Agunloye ruling house was next to produce the new Alaafin.
He said he told them that he would not do anything outside the declaration.
Afonja said he also explained to them that it was not debatable that they were princes and that they had right to the throne, but that he would only follow the declaration.
But Baba Iyaji was quoted in media reports yesterday that he had submitted a list of 119 candidates to Oyomesi.
The Nation confirmed from a source close to Oyomesi that the list submitted contained 119 candidates.
Contacted, Pa Adeladan expressed surprise at the turn of events.
He said the ruling house would hold an emergency meeting soon to review the development and take a decision.
Condemning the decision to add other candidates to those of Agunloye family, Adeladan told The Nation: “This cannot stand. We already told Baba Iyaji that anyone that surfaces apart from our candidates is not from us, and we believe they won’t be considered. We will definitely hold an emergency meeting to review the development and determine the next step.
“I am happy that we made this known to Baba Iyaji when we submitted our list. So, I am surprised that the names have increased to 119. We have to look into the issue in our meeting because we can’t fold our arms and watch things go this way.”
The last Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, joined his ancestors on April 22 after a 52-year reign.
A 2002 state government paper had directed the Atiba Local Government Traditional Council to review the declaration to accommodate other royal families and consolidate all of them into a ruling house with royal families since they are all direct descendants of Alaafin Abiodun Atiba, the first Alaafin in the new Oyo town. But Oba Adeyemi III did not undertake the review till his passage. He hailed from Alowolodu family.
Nation
