A few days ago, Hon. Eesuola Babatunde Ahammed from Oyo town submitted a petition to the Governor of Oyo State, H. E. Engr Seyi Makinde. In the petition, he accused the Governor of interfering with the selection process of the next Alaafin of Oyo. In a 5-page open letter, he accused the Governor of intentionally and unconstitutionally delaying the process.
The letter reads, in part: “An open letter requesting Your Excellency to uphold the sanctity of the Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration and resist unconstitutional interference and unnecessary stalemate in the selection of the next Alaafin of Oyo.”
In his response, Prince L. A Agunloye, the head of the Agunloye family refuted the accusation and instead praised the Governor for his integrity and honourable actions.
In a phone conversation, he stated the following:
After carefully studying the claims made by Hon. Eesuola Babatunde Ahammed, which accuses the executive governor of Oyo state, Engineer Seyi Makinde, of stalling and interfering with the selection process of the next Alaafin of Oyo, we, the royal family of Agunloye, are writing to express our reservations regarding the concerns raised.
It is evident for everyone to see and very audible for everyone to hear that the selection process, which was delayed by the governor, was a timely intervention aimed at maintaining sanctity and peace in Oyo and Yorubaland in general. The Alaafin throne holds great significance for the Yoruba people and cannot be allowed to be tainted, especially considering the way the selection process was being conducted and the alleged claims that the Oyomesi led by Bashorun in council cannot be trusted to make their decision in selecting the Alaafin-elect without following due process in screening other candidates.
There is a need for a fresh selection process that would be seen as fair to all candidates. We believe that this is the way to go. According to Yoruba custom and tradition, it is customary to consult the Ifa Oracle for the choice of the successor of the late Alaafin before making further considerations. It is considered irregular when kingmakers choose a king without making due consultations. Therefore, we urge the kingmakers to uphold the customs of the land, as people are carefully observing the situation. Not doing so will set a negative precedent for others to make claims.
I would like to commend Engineer Seyi Makinde for his timely intervention. He has exemplified true leadership and shown himself to be a man of the people. I urge him not to relent, as he is on the right track to ensure that the sanctity of the Oyo Alaafin throne is upheld. We cannot settle for anything less, as the people deserve the best and most qualified candidate.
We are excited to see how the selection process for the new Alaafin throne candidates will unfold. We are confident that once the due process is followed, everyone will accept the outcome. We will persist in advocating for doing what is right.
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