Beware of impostors, Atiba ruling house reaffirms claim to Alaafin’s throne

Following what they described as the antics of people posing as members of their lineage,  descendants of the Atiba Ruling House in Oyo town of Oyo State have reaffirmed their claim to the vacant stool of the Alaafin.

The Atiba ruling house, therefore, urged the government to be wary of those it called impostors as the struggle to enthrone a new monarch continues. 

A court affidavit by the family stated: “Our family has been informed of the nefarious activities of some unscrupulous and unknown persons laying claim to the membership of our esteemed house.

“For the avoidance of doubt and to put the records straight, our father and matriarch, Abiodun Atiba popularly known as Omo Oba Ese Apata was one of the sons of late Alaafin Abiodun Atiba, who reigned between the years 1838-1858.

“He was also the grandson of late Alaafin Abiodun M’hammad Saliu, who reigned between the year 1769 and 1790, during the lifetime of late Prince Adediran Abiodun Atiba and in his lifetime, he had just three male children, who now form the lineage in his royal compound.

“Any other claim apart from the one sworn in this declaration in the state high court Awe should be regarded as void. Since the demise of Abiodun Atiba, the royal compound has had just five family heads in the past and the present one, making it six Mogajis in total.”

The stool became vacant following the passing of the late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, the Alaafin of Oyo, in 2022.

The enthronement of a new Alaafin has generated two litigations that are pending before the courts. 

Credit: Punch Newspapers