The ongoing process for the selection of a new Alaafin of Oyo must be cancelled, members of nine royal families in the town have charged the state government.
It will be recalled that the process to fill the stool of the Alaafin, which became vacant following the transition of the Late Alaafin Lamidi Adeyemi in April, began a few weeks ago.
However, at a press conference in Oyo on Monday, members of nine royal families called for the cancellation of the process due to an ongoing case in the appellate court against the ‘wrongful removal’ of their right to the throne.
Speaking on behalf of representatives of the royal families, Afolabi Ademola of the Adeitan royal family, explained that this injustice can be traced to 2004 when the late Alaafin secured an injection against a 2001 white paper approved by the Lam-Adesina led administration.
“We seek for the discontinuation of the ongoing section process which excluded other royal families recommended and approved by the white paper in 2001 until the determination of the cases before the court of law.
“We became aware of that 2004 decision less than a year ago. It was a judgment held silently behind the scene. In fact, despite being party to the issue, we were never copied.
“This is why we are insisting that the case in court must be concluded so that we can know whether we have a right to appeal or not. We have since started taking steps to reverse that judgement. If eventually the court does not uphold our removal that means the King they might select with the ongoing process would be removed which will be a disgrace to the institution of the Alaafin,” Ademola noted.
They also appealed to the current administration in the state to to intervene since the Chieftancy law of the state gives him such right.
“Seyi Makinde should leave a good mark so that when he finally leaves office, people would pray for him and he would be remembered for standing on the side of the people. The government should not listen to hearsays and rumours that the court cases has no merit.”
The nine royal families present at the press conference include Princes Makanjuola Adediran (Adediran-Ese Apata); Adebowale Adesiyan (Adesiyan); Adediwura Lamola (Olanite); and Adetunji Adesokan (Adesokan Baba Idode).
Others are Princes Agboin Olayiwola (Adelabu Baba Ibadan); Ademola Adesina Afolabi (Adeitan); Remi Azeez (Tella Okitipapa); Adekunle Bello (Iteade Abidekun); and Tella Agbojulogun (Agbojulogun) who was away in Lagos but was said to have given his consent
