Makinde entangled in royal vacancies’ impasse in Oyo, Ibadan

Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State and Oyo an ancient town of culture and monarchy presently have no imperial kings. This owes to the series of succession issues and developments, which had arisen since the death of the Alaafin of Oyo; Lamidi Adeyemi Il and the Olubadan of Ibadan; Oba Lekan Balogun.  Having reigned for […]

Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State and Oyo an ancient town of culture and monarchy presently have no imperial kings. This owes to the series of succession issues and developments, which had arisen since the death of the Alaafin of Oyo; Lamidi Adeyemi Il and the Olubadan of Ibadan; Oba Lekan Balogun.  Having reigned for 51 years, the Alaafin died in April 2022, while the Olubadan died in March 14, 2022 after a two-year reign.

The delay in getting new kings in the two cities borders around disagreements within and among the high chiefs, litigations and delay in government’s assent.

Oyo

Two years has passed since the Oyomesi; the 7-member cabinet member of the Alaafin concluded the selection process and forwarded the name of the ‘appointed’ candidate to Oyo State governor; Engr. Seyi Makinde for approval and coronation. However, the governor has declared that he has no anointed candidate while the city awaits his nod on the emergence and crowning of the Alaafin. Prince Lukman Gbadegesin from the Agunloye Ruling House was the Alaafin-elect until cracks within the selection process surfaced.

Two of the kingmakers; Samu and Agbaakin of Oyo, Lamidi Oyewale and Asimiyu Atanda faulted the process that produced Prince Gbadegesin and demanded that it be repeated. Although the Bashorun; High Chief Yusuf Akinade, affirmed that the selection of Prince Gbadegesin for appointment as the next Alaafin of Oyo followed due process, more hurdles awaited the Alaafin’s emergence.

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The governor citing lack of harmony and unity, among other reasons, as cause of the delay in announcing a new Alaafin halted the process on the premise that there was an ongoing suit challenging the 1961 chieftaincy declaration, which has seen to the emergence of subsequent Alaafins from only two ruling houses, thereby sidelining nine others.

Indeed, the nine royal families had appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde not to approve the appointment of a new Alaafin of Oyo until the ongoing court case is resolved.

The Basorun and four other High Chiefs of the Oyomesi subsequently sued the state governor; Engr. Seyi Makinde, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Abiodun Aikomo as well as the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; Mr. Segun Olayiwola for halting the coronation process after they had concluded screening and chosen an Alaafin-Elect.

However, the state government, which insisted that due process must be followed in the choice of an Oba became vindicated when a High Court sitting in Oyo struck out the suit, following the absence of the claimants. The claimants have filed a fresh suit no HOY/14/2023, of which the presiding Justice said the date for the hearing would be communicated to both parties.

Presently, the governor, through the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Olusegun Olayiwola said that the process for installation of a new Alaafin would have been concluded but for the case instituted at the Appeal Court. He assured the people of Oyo that sooner than later, the whole issue will be resolved.

Ibadan

Following the death of the last Olubadan, the city immediately geared up for the ascension of a new king. According to the Otun Olubadan, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja, every Ibadan indigene knows who the next Olubadan is. This assertion is based on the preexisting hierarchical structure of ascension to the Olubadan throne. Hence, the Olubadan-designate, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin whose turn it was under the Balogun line was named to become the 43rd Olubadan. However, it has been over three months, yet Ibadan is yet to crown her new monarch.

Governor Makinde had said that the new Olubadan would be enthroned as soon as he is strong enough to complete the coronation processes. He made this submission during a grand burial ceremony organised by the state government in honour of late Oba Lekan Balogun.

According to a sociocultural group; Ibile G-7, the city expected that the governor would confirm the date of the coronation of Oba Olakuleyin, as was customary.

The group noted that the statement by Makinde was unfortunate and could lead to dissatisfaction in the ancient city.

“In the first place, who informed the governor that Oba Olakulehin is not medically fit? Which hospital issued a report that the new Olubadan-elect is not fit and where was the Oba hospitalised to warrant that statement? Also, when has the issue of the installation of the Olubadan condescended to political debate or issues, at the expense of the millions of Ibadan indigenes?” Ibile G-7 had queried.

Also, Makinde referenced how together with the late Olubadan, Oba Balogun, he had done “What no one thinks ‘Napoleon’ could do by amending the Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration Laws, which would be used to enthrone the 43rd Olubadan.”

Recall that the amendment culminated in the enthronement of ten high chiefs who were members of the Olubadan-in-Council, who became crown wearing kings. Rashidi Ladoja; the Ọtun Olubadan had refused to be crowned alongside others saying that his interest was only the Olubadan crown. Subsequently, High Chief Ladoja had instituted a suit against the members of the Council over the beaded crown worn before the demise of the late Oba Balogun.

However, following from nudges and prompts from the Olubadan in Council, Ladoja withdrew the suit filed against members of Olubadan-in-Council and the state government. This act, according to Asipa Olubadan, Oba Abiodun Kola-Daisi, is the condition for the coronation of a new Olubadan, as required by the Olubadan in Council and the state government.

Then, the aged and ailing Olubadan-Designate Oba Olakuleyin who rarely appeared in public since Olubadan’s death declared his readiness to rule. This was during a courtesy visit by the Oyo State Advisory Council led by Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN).

Makinde’s speech, which made Olakuleyin’s health a condition of coronation has led to more criticism as stakeholders query Makinde’s intent in delaying the process. Yet, the Pesident-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Barrister Adeniyi Ajewole said that the issue of the coronation of the new Olubadan is an internal affair, which would be resolved internally among the indigenes of the ancient city.

“They have said that they will start. They said that the coronation processes would soon start. There is no controversy on it again. The coronation processes will begin immediately.

“Let us put our minds at rest; God has helped us to settle the matter. We used to settle our differences internally in Ibadan.

A lecturer at Lead City University, Ibadan, Bayonle Busari, advised the governor not to bastardise the Ibadan traditional institution.

Busari said, “The governor, by our statute, is the constituted authority to approve who becomes Oba in Nigeria. It will amount to dictatorial tendencies when such authority is now making a prescription without precedence or not grounded in law.

“The statement, which has not been contradicted by the governor, as being quoted out of context, is capable of setting a precedent that could further entangle the process for the emergence of an Olubadan, a process that has been embroiled in seeming confusion with the crowning of members of the Olubadan-in-Council with coronets.

“The condition of fitness ascribed to the governor is not only ambiguous but a new introduction to the process leading to the coronation of the Olubadan. It is even alien to the amended Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration, which the governor alluded to at the ceremony where he made the statement. If the governor is allowed to have his way by his unilateral declaration, the danger inherent therein is that a time may come when the emergence of Olubadan will become a subject of litigation, as witnessed in several towns in Yorubaland.

“What readily comes to mind with a quick perusal of the governor’s unilateral condition is: who determines the state of fitness of an individual when it becomes imperative as a condition precedent to assuming or functioning in an official capacity as may be required by law? Obviously, only a certified medical practitioner can make a categorical statement like the one credited to Engr. Makinde. Interestingly, the governor is not known to be a practising physician, nor has there been prior information that the Olubadan-designate has been subjected to an official medical examination, to which there is no law that prescribes such.

“I think that it is time that all Ibadan sons and daughters, and indeed all stakeholders, rose to put an end to the needless controversy that has been imputed into the Ibadan chieftaincy matter with the novel coronet-wearing obas by the late Governor Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi, which unfortunately has become an ill-wind.

“The age-tested traditional process for the emergence of an Olubadan should not be bastardised on the altar of modernisation as being canvassed in some quarters. It is a known fact that the occupier of the throne of Olubadan has always been an aged but tested and thoroughly wise High Chief. Without mischief, frailty or age-related health issues come with old age; and unless we want to play God, we should not expect a 90-year-old man to be in the same health condition as a 50-year-old.”

The APC Publicity Secretary; Olawale Sadare said that the statement is an indication that the governor is making efforts to become an emperor in the state.

He added that the people of the state will reject it at the right time.

“So, he has no business in selecting the next Oba for the people of Ibadan. We also want to challenge him on why there is a delay in the installation of the new Oba of Eruwa and Oyo kingdom. He should allow the process to take its full course. Each of these towns has their own ways of selecting their Obas.

“Is he a medical doctor? When will he know that Baba is fit? We want the people to interrogate the intention. People should