Group seeks review of Alaafin’s emergence, alleges misuse of Warrant Chiefs

By Our Correspondent

IBADAN — The controversy surrounding the installation of Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I as the Alaafin of Oyo has deepened, following a petition to the Oyo State House of Assembly alleging that the selection process was compromised by the illegal deployment of “Emergency Warrant Chiefs.”

A socio-cultural group, the Oyo Heritage Forum, has called for an immediate legislative review of the monarch’s emergence, warning that the alleged manipulation of the traditional selection process poses a threat to the peace and heritage of the ancient town.

In a petition signed by its Lead Petitioner, Otunba Dare Adelekan, and addressed to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Debo Ogundoyin, the group argued that the state executive arm circumvented the substantive kingmakers—the Oyo-Mesi—to impose a candidate.

The core of the petition rests on the allegation that the government deployed emergency warrant chiefs to validate Oba Owoade’s selection, despite the fact that the substantive Oyo-Mesi had already concluded their assignment.

The group contends that under the 1961 Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration, the traditional kingmakers had allegedly reached a consensus favoring Prince Lukman Gbadegesin. They argued that introducing warrant chiefs after a decision had been made was a procedural breach intended to manipulate the outcome in favor of the current monarch.

“The throne of Oyo belongs to the people, not to the highest political bidder,” the petition stated, warning that using political maneuvers to override traditional rites sets a dangerous precedent.

The forum also drew the Assembly’s attention to the legal fragility of the current stool, citing an ongoing lawsuit (Suit No. HOY/05/2025) instituted by the aggrieved Prince Gbadegesin. They further noted that relying on Ifa divination to justify the current choice contradicted a 2022 High Court ruling, which held that such divination is not a legal requirement for the stool.

Furthermore, the group accused Oba Owoade of engaging in partisan politics, alleging an alignment with the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and citing his recent lawsuit against the state government over the Oyo State Council of Obas (Further Amendments) Law, 2025.

The Oyo Heritage Forum has charged the House of Assembly to assert its oversight powers by convening a public hearing. They demanded that surviving members of the Oyo-Mesi be invited to testify on whether the process that produced Oba Owoade complied with the registered declaration or was indeed hijacked by executive fiat.

The group insisted that a review is necessary to determine if political interference influenced the submission of the Alaafin’s name to the Executive Council, urging the lawmakers to save the integrity of the Yoruba traditional institution.

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