No Meeting, No Endorsement — Alaafin Refutes Makinde’s Consultation Claim
The Alaafin’s Palace has reacted to a statement attributed to the Executive Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Engineer Seyi Makinde, claiming that consultations were held with the Alaafin of Oyo, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, and the Soun of Ogbomoso on the issue of rotational chairmanship of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
In a statement signed by the Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, Bode Durojaiye, the Palace categorically dismissed the claim, stressing that no such consultation ever took place.
According to the statement, there was no time that His Imperial Majesty, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba (Engineer) Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, held any meeting with the Governor of Oyo State or with any of the traditional rulers mentioned regarding the leadership of the State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
The Palace further clarified that the Alaafin neither informed the Governor nor made any categorical statement endorsing or supporting the idea of rotational chairmanship among the three foremost traditional rulers in the state.
The statement emphasized that the position of the Alaafin of Oyo and the entire Oyo community on matters concerning the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs is neither ambiguous nor new. It noted that this position has already been clearly articulated and formally communicated to the Governor through a memorandum submitted by the Oyo Council of Elders.
The Alaafin’s Palace said it was necessary to set the record straight in order to prevent misinformation and to safeguard the integrity of traditional institutions, stressing that issues of tradition, hierarchy, and leadership must be handled with accuracy, respect, and due process.
