Alaafin Stool: Oyo-Mesi Refuses To Consult Oracle, Group Alleges

A socio-cultural group, Oyo Omo-Alaafin in Diaspora has accused the Oyo traditional council of engaging in bribery and illegal selection process so as to allegedly favour a particular aspirant in becoming the new Alaafin of Oyo.

The group described the process the Oyo-Mesi is using in the selection of new Alaafin as a ruse and a pre-plan strategy to get their anointed candidate emerge as the new monarch of Oyo.

This was contained in a statement by the president of the group, Chief Adeoye Ladigbolu, which was made available to newsmen on Sunday.

Ladigbolu alleged that the Oyo chiefs collected millions from interested aspirants.

He noted that the Oyo-Mesi refused to consult the Oracle despite assuring all aspirants publicly.

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He further accused the Oyo-Mesi of submitting a particular name without the knowledge of other aspirants.

He added, “When they announced the vacancy of the stool, I was also qualified to apply for the vacant stool. But because I am still very young and I am a busy person, I was ready to allow the most qualified take over.

“As a certified engineer, I decided to let go , but I know there are many leaders in Oyo that came from Agunloye family in Ladigbolu ruling house that can ascend the vacant stool. I believe we have many people that are capable .

“Alaafin stool is not meant for just ordinary person, the stool is meant for a man who is reliable with impeccable characters. The stool should be given to someone outspoken with good image, not someone that has a lot of secret in his cupboard.

“Oyo Alaafin stool is not just about the Oyo people, but the Ooduwa and it must be given to someone well respected with integrity.

“After all contestants for the Alaafin stool collected form of interest, the Oyo-Mesi publicly claimed they will consult the Oracle and it is the person chosen would be presented to the governor.

All the contestants agreed that they should consult the Oracle. Only for us to hear few days after that the Bashorun said they already have a consensus candidate. How can you have a consensus candidate when you said you want to consult Oracle.

“From investigation, we discovered that the Oyo-Mesi had sent a particular name to Ibadan as the consensus candidate.

“It is a slap on us because they did not consult any Oracle, they just want to impose on everyone.

“What the Oyo-Mesi is doing is not in order.”

The group, however, urged Governor Seyi Makinde to set up an investigative panel to unravel the alleged corruption and bribery reportedly going on in the Oyo traditional council.

He added, “Mr governor has said it openly that Oyo-Mesi did not use proper chanel for the selection. The selection process is wrong. The governor instructed them to use the proper chanel.

“We are appealing to the governor to set up a panel to investigate Oyo-Mesi. We learnt that they collected millions from interested aspirants. If they know this is not true, we challenge them to swear.

“We are calling on the governor to look into this matter, monitor the process and null all the kangaroo process in selecting new Alaafin.”

Meanwhile, Ladigbolu insisted that the Oyo Chiefs were deliberately misrepresenting the judgment of the court as regards the issue.

He explained that the court did not support the decision of Oyo-Mesi, but only noted that Ladigbolu ruling house suppose to write the government before going to court.

He added that the court did not support the selection process of the Oyo-Mesi, maintaining that the judgment is not in favour of the Oyo chiefs as reported.

Meanwhile, Ladigbolu insisted that the Oyo Chiefs were deliberately misrepresenting the judgment of the court as regards the issue.

He explained that the court did not support the decision of Oyo-Mesi, but only noted that Ladigbolu ruling house suppose to write the government before going to court.

He added that the court did not support the selection process of the Oyo-Mesi, maintaining that the judgment is not in favour of the Oyo chiefs as reported.

• Yusuf Oketola