Five Oyo town kingmakers and their preferred candidate for the Alaafin stool, Prince Lukman Gbadegesin, on Wednesday, issued Governor Seyi Makinde a 30-day ultimatum to reverse the appointment of Akeem Owoade as the Alaafin or face a fresh legal action.
The ultimatum was contained in a letter dated January 14, 2025, written to Makinde by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kunle Sobaloju, on behalf of Gbadegesin.
In yet a second letter, also dated January 14, 2025, written by Sobaloju on behalf of the five kingmakers, they warned Makinde to refrain from maligning them by alleging bribery in the selection process for the Alaafin of Oyo.
They described Makinde’s resort to media attack on them was “unwarranted and unbecoming of the high standards expected of Your Excellency’s office.”
They warned the governor against crossing the line of defamation, stating: “Please recognise that you remain liable to prosecution for the defamatory acts committed by you in office, for which you may be held accountable after your period of immunity is over.”
The aggrieved kingmakers are the Basorun of Oyo, High Chief Yusuf Ayoola; Laguna of Oyo, High Chief Wakeel Akindele; Akinniku of Oyo, High Chief Hamzat Yusuf; warrant chief standing in for Asipa of Oyo, Chief Wahab Oyetunjii; warrant chief standing in for Alapinni of Oyo, Chief Gbadebo Mufutau.
Makinde had last Friday named Canada-based Owoade as the new Alaafin and on Monday presented him with a staff of office and letter of appointment.
Owoade’s announcement as the new Alaafin came a day after Sobaloju, in a statement last Thursday, warned Makinde tp respect a pending lawsuit on the stool by not naming anyone Alaafin other than Gbadegesin, whom the five kingmakers had earlier selected.
During a brief ceremony on Monday to present Owoade with the instruments of office, Makinde alleged that the previous selection process that produced Gbadegesin was rejected because it was fraught with corruption and bribery.
The governor vowed that he would revisit the case by prosecuting anyone who had taken a bribe.
But in their strong-worded letter to the governor on Thursday, the kingmakers took exception to Makinde’s allegation, challenging to go to court if he had his facts rather than resorting to media attack on them.
“Publicly maligning the Oyomesi, who are custodians of tradition and highly respected in the Oyo kingdom, undermines not only their reputation but also the sanctity of the ongoing judicial process and defamatory of our clients.
“We urge Your Excellency to refrain from resorting to a trial by media or the court of public opinion in a bid to confer legitimacy on recent unlawful acts of the state, under your command.
“If there is any evidence to support these allegations, we respectfully advise that it should be brought before the court, where it can be properly examined and addressed,” Sobaloju said in the letter on behalf of the kingmakers.
In the second letter on behalf of Gbadegesin, the SAN insisted that Owoade’s appointment by Makinde was illegal and unprocedural.
He alleged that Makinde usurped the role of the Oyomesi in the selection of Owoade as the Alaafin.
He maintained that the prior selection process, which produced Gbadegesin was the legitimate process.
“We request that the Governor and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs address the issues raised and rectify these breaches within 30 days of receipt of this notice. Failure to do so will compel our client to seek appropriate legal redress in court,” Gbadegesin’s counsel prayed.
Gbadegesin argued that the governor was in breach in six aspects including failure to act on a valid appointment (unanimous selection of Prince Lukman Gbadegesin), unlawful interference with the selection process (violating the Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration of 1961 which makes the Oyomesi the sole authority for selection of the Alaafin).
Citing the violation of the provisions of the Chief’s Law of Oyo State, 2000, the Registered Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration of 1961, Gbadegesin’s counsel said Owoade’s appointment as Alaafin should be declared unlawful, unconstitutional, invalid, null and void.
He accused the governor of contravention of court judgment in alleged reliance on Ifa consultation which contradicts the judgment of the Oyo State High Court of 15th December 2022 which declared Ifa consultation in the selection process unlawful, as it is not provided for in the Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration of 1961.
Gbadegesin further argued that there was no official complaint of bribery to the governor or investigation instituted; that the governor did not remove or suspend any Oyomesi member yet unilaterally usurped their roles; and disregarded the majority decision in its selection of Prince Lukman Gbadegesin.
Gbadegesin’s counsel further prayed for, “an order setting aside the purported appointment, approval of appointment and presentation of staff of office to Prince Abimbola Akeem Owoade as Alaafin of Oyo as It was done In violation of the provisions of the Chief’s Law of Oyo State, 2000, the Registered Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration of 1961, unlawful, unconstitutional, Invalid, null and void.
“A declaration that Prince Lukman Adelodun Ayinla Gbadegesin was validly selected and or appointed by the Kingmakers of Alaafin of Oyo as the candidate to fill the vacant stool of the Alaafin of Oyo by Chief’s Law of Oyo State, 2000 and the Registered Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration of 1961 and therefore his appointment is valid, lawful and proper.
“An order directing the Governor of Oyo State to immediately and forthwith approve the appointment of Prince Lukman Adelodun Ayinla Gbadegesin validly selected and or appointed by the Kingmakers of Alaafin of Oyo as the candidate to fill the vacant stool of the Alaafin of Oyo.
“An order of injunction restraining Prince Abimbola Akeem Owoade from parading himself as Alaafin of Oyo and or performing the functions of the Alaafin of Oyo or exercising the powers or authority attached to the office and or occupying the stool of the Alaafin of Oyo.
“An order of interlocutory injunction restraining the Governor, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, their agents servants and or privies from recognising Prince Abimbola Akeem Owoade as Alaafin of Oyo and or paying him the stipends, allowances, salaries and all the prerequisites of office attached to the position of Alaafin of Oyo.”
