Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, is facing legal action from the Oyomesi in Council, the kingmakers in Oyo town, in relation to the unoccupied position of the Alaafin of Oyo.
The suit marked HOY/38/2023 before the Oyo State High Court in Oyo has as claimants five kingmakers, seeking a court injunction to restrain the governor and his agents ‘from aborting the process for the selection/appointment of the candidate for filling the vacant stool of Alaafin of Oyo duly conducted by the kingmakers of Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy.’
The kingmakers who initiated the lawsuit include the Bashorun of Oyo, High Chief Yusuf Layinka; Lagunna of Oyo, High Chief Wakeel Oyedepo; Akinniku of Oyo, High Chief Amusa Yusuf; Areago Bashorun, Chief Wahab Oyetunji; and the Alapo of Oyo, Chief Gbadebo Mufutau.
Alongside Makinde, the Oyo State Attorney General and the state’s Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs are also named as defendants in the suit.
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During a meeting on September 30, 2023, the kingmakers revealed that they had unanimously chosen Prince Lukuman Gbadegesin as the upcoming Alaafin of Oyo to occupy the long-vacant throne since the passing of Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the 45th Alaafin of Oyo, in April last year.
The kingmakers are praying the court to restrain the Oyo State Governor and his agents from nullifying the choice of Gbadegesin and “approving or recognising any other candidate” as the next Alaafin “after a duly conducted 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 restrain 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 fresh 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 claimants from carrying on their traditional functions and responsibilities as kingmakers of Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy.’
Africa Today News reported that on October 18, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission interrogated a few Oyo kingmakers on allegations of bribery in connection with the selection of the next Alaafin.
Sources revealed that the petitioner’s allegation suggested that the kingmakers received bribes in the millions of naira to favor a specific candidate, leading to the EFCC’s decision to summon them for questioning.
It was reported that the kingmakers, who acknowledged the EFCC’s invitation, were accompanied by their lawyers and were instructed to provide written statements before being allowed to depart.
At present, there is no fixed date for the hearing of the newly filed suit by the kingmakers.