The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, has criticized Governor Seyi Makinde over the announcement of rotational chairmanship for the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, denying any consultation on the decision.
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Engineer Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, has faulted Governor Seyi Makinde over the announcement on the rotational chairmanship of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, describing the claim of consultation as incorrect.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, the Alaafin said he never met with the governor or discussed the matter with the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, or the Soun of Ogbomoso.
While inaugurating the reconstituted council, Governor Makinde announced that the chairmanship would rotate among the Olubadan, the Soun of Ogbomoso, and the Alaafin of Oyo, with the Olubadan emerging as the pioneer chairman. He stated that the decision followed consultations with these three leading traditional rulers.
However, the Alaafin's Palace countered, insisting the monarch neither met the governor nor endorsed the rotational arrangement. “The attention of the Alaafin’s Palace has been drawn to a statement credited to His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde, that he consulted with the three traditional rulers in the state, the Alaafin, the Olubadan and the Soun of Ogbomoso, on the rotational chairmanship of the State Council of Obas and Chiefs,” the statement read.
The Palace clarified that there was no meeting between the Alaafin and the governor or the other rulers, and no endorsement was given. It added that the Alaafin's position, along with the Oyo community, was previously outlined in a memorandum from the Oyo Council of Elders to the governor, reflecting Oyo's longstanding historical stance on the council's structure and leadership.
This development adds to the controversy surrounding the council's reconstitution, which has sparked public debate recently. While the state government argues the rotational system fosters equity, unity, and harmony among traditional institutions, critics contend it undermines historical precedence and the traditional hierarchy in Yorubaland.
The Alaafin, one of the most influential monarchs in Yorubaland, holds a central place in Yoruba history as the head of the old Oyo Empire and a symbol of cultural and political authority.
