The Atiba 9, consisting of nine royal families from Oyo Town, have declared that they will not accept the process that led to the appointment of Prince Akeem Owoade as the new Alaafin of Oyo.
Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, had, on Monday, presented the Staff of Office to the Alaafin-designate after the US-based Awise Agbaye and a former vice chancellor of the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile Ife, Professor Wande Abimbola, had declared that he was the one picked by Ifa as the next Alaafin.
The Atiba 9 however faulted the development, alleging that the process leading to the appointment of Owoade as the Alaafin-designate was against the custom, culture and tradition of Oyo and also against the rule of law.
The nine royal families, who also laid claim to the throne, stated this in a press release issued on Tuesday and signed on their behalf by Prince Sina Afolabi of the Adeitan Royal Family.
The other eight members of the Atiba 9 included Prince Remi Azeez (Tella Okitipapa); Prince Lamola Olanite (Olanite); Prince Agboin Adelabu (Adelabu); Prince Raji Adeniran (Adeniran); Prince Nureni Taiwo (Tella Agbojulogun); Prince Muftau Adejare Adesokan (Adesokan Baba Idode): Prince Adesiyan (Adesiyan) and Prince Bello Rasheed (Abidekun).
They said they were not against the persons of Prince Akeem Owoade and Prince Lukman Gbadegesin, another contestant, but insisted that the process that produced the former as the Alaafin was not in tandem with the tradition of the ancient Oyo Town.
The Atiba 9 also disclosed that they will not drop the case they filed against the process that produced Owoade and Gbadegesin as the two contestants to the throne before the final emergence of the former as the Alaafin-designate.
The spokesperson of the Atiba 9, Prince Sina Afolabi, stated that the process that produced Owoade was against the custom and tradition of the Oyo Royal Houses as regards the making and installation of the Alaafin.
He added that Governor Makinde, who has been an advocate of due process, erred, declaring: “What the governor did was totally against the highly revered Alaafin Stool. His action has reduced the Throne to an object of ridicule.
“It was expected of Governor Makinde, an apostle of due process, to have followed a just line of action and avoid reducing the Alaafin Stool or the Alaafin to an Oba Gbandu or Oba Yebuyebu (an ordinary oba without honour).
“When the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, was to be made the oba, he entered Ipebi and everything was done in accordance with the custom and tradition of Ife before he was proclaimed as the Oonirisa.
“We don’t want our revered stool or the Alaafin to become an object of ridicule and mockery in the future. We don’t want him to be referred to as an oba that was anointed in Ibadan, precisely at the Office of the Governor.
“We, the Atiba 9, don’t want people to refer to him as an Alaafin that did not enter Ipebi. The Alaafin of Oyo is a prominent and first-class traditional ruler in the entire Yorubaland.
“We, the Atiba 9, are against the process embarked upon by the state government to make Omooba Owoade the Alaafin. It should be stopped and the right thing must be done in appointing a new Alaafin.
“We don’t have anything personal against Omooba Owoade who was appointed as the Alaafin on Monday. He too made efforts to become the oba. We don’t have any personal issue with Omooba Lukman Gbadegesin too.
“However, our grouse is against the process through which Owoade and Gbadegesin emerged as candidates to the Alaafin Stool. And what Governor Makinde had done by making Omooba Owoade the Alaafin is an attempt to ridicule the throne. We, the Atiba 9, don’t want it!
“We respect Professor Wande Abimbola who consulted Ifa, but if he wants to be fair to all, he should come and consult Ifa at Ojude Ogun here in Oyo,” Prince Afolabi stated.
The Atiba 9 also charged the Oyo Mesi, under the leadership of Basorun, to amicably resolve whatever disagreement they have among themselves, noting that they are the only ones that can initiate the process of selecting a new Alaafin.
“Whatever is the grouse or disagreement between the Basorun and other members of the Oyo Mesi should be resolved. They should call themselves together and settle their crisis amicably before any process of installing a new Alaafin can be embarked upon,” Prince Afolabi added in the release.
The Atiba 9 added that, with the current arrangement, any occupant of the Alaafin Stool will lose respect from other Yoruba obas, especially those who were supposed to be taking instructions from him.
“If we should look at it critically as things stand now, some obas who are supposed to be taking instructions from the Alaafin will not be doing that; they will not respect him as they will see him as not being properly appointed. The Alaafin should not be reduced to an ordinary oba.
“These are our grouses. We are not against whoever is appointed as the Alaafin but the process must be in accordance with our established custom, culture and tradition and the rule of law. Whoever that emerged through such a process will be acceptable to us,” the Atiba 9 added in the release.
