Alaafin: Corruption eroding Yoruba Kingship, says Prof. Wande Abimbola

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

Renowned academic and cultural icon, Professor Wande Abimbola has expressed concerns regarding the influence of money in selecting traditional rulers in the contemporary Yorubaland.

Abimbola, in a recent interview while critiquing the influence of money in the selection process of traditional rulers called for a return to the values that once defined the Yoruba.

He lamented the fact that some traditional rulers, known as obas, have been compromised by corruption and external influences.

According to him, the problem lies in the fact that some individuals have become kings through the influence of money rather than traditional merit.

He said, “There are so many people who are rich enough to pay the kind of money that is demanded by corrupt kingmakers. Some plunged themselves into debt to be able to clinch the stools they occupy and then they begin to look for ways to pay back their debts. Is that the way to go about doing things when people like us are still alive? Is this how things were done in the past? Is this the kind of legacy that Awolowo bequeathed to us?”

Abimbola also emphasized the importance of maintaining incorruptible figures in society, saying “I invited Ifa priests and warned them to steer clear of corruption. We should have at least one incorruptible man left to go to.”

He also condemned the bribery allegations in the selection of the Alaafin of Oyo.

Abimbola, who was involved in the selection process, revealed that some kingmakers demanded and received large sums of money from candidates vying for the throne, saying this undermined the integrity of the selection process and threatened the traditional institution.