Oyo kingmakers sue Makinde over new Aláàfin selection

Oyo kingmakers have filed a suit against against the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, over the issue of the vacant Alaafin throne.

The kingmakers filed the suit at the Oyo State High Court in Oyo town, seeking an order to stop the governor and his agents from interfering with the process of selecting/appointing the candidate for the Alaafin stool, which they claim to have duly conducted.

The plaintiffs in the suit are the Basorun of Oyo, High Chief Yusuf Ayoola; Lagunna of Oyo, High Chief Wakeel Oyedepo; Akinniku of Oyo, High Chief Amusa Yusuf; Areago Basorun, Chief Wahab Oyetunji; and the Alapo of Oyo, Chief Gbadebo Mufutau.

The defendants in the suit are the Oyo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

The kingmakers allege that they unanimously chose Prince Lukuman Gbadegesin as the next Alaafin of Oyo at a meeting on September 30, 2022 , following the death of the 45th Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III in April 2022.

They are asking the court to prevent Makinde and his agents from cancelling their choice of Gbadegesin and “approving or recognising any other candidate” as the new Alaafin “after a lawful process for the filling of the vacant stool of Alaafin of Oyo in accordance with the native law, custom and Chieftaincy Declaration of Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy.”

The kingmakers also want the court to stop the governor and the other defendants from removing them as Oyo kingmakers or “dissolving the Oyomesi in Council or appointing or selecting warrant chiefs to conduct or start a new process for the filling of the vacant stool of Alaafin of Oyo.”

They want the court to stop the defendants from “harassing, disturbing, preventing or stopping the plaintiffs from performing their traditional functions and responsibilities as kingmakers of Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had last week questioned some of the kingmakers over allegations of bribery in relation to the selection of the new Alaafin.

A petitioner had accused the kingmakers of taking bribes amounting to millions of naira to facilitate the selection of Gbadegesin.

The court has not yet fixed a date for hearing the suit filed by the kingmakers.

This development occurred after an Oyo State High Court in Ogbomoso annulled the selection and installation of Afolabi Olaoye as the Soun of Ogbomoso.