After nearly three years of endless drama, Oyo State finally has a new Alaafin. Governor Seyi Makinde has approved Prince Abimbola Akeem Owoade as the next Alaafin of Oyo, putting an official stamp on a process that should have been the sole responsibility of the traditional Oyomesi. But in today’s Nigeria, where political influence seems to seep into every corner of cultural heritage, it’s hardly surprising that the government had to “approve” a monarch.
The announcement came through a statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, on Friday. According to him, after what he described as “thorough consultations and divinations,” the Oyomesi recommended Prince Owoade, and the governor gave his nod. How much of this “consultation” involved the traditional kingmakers and how much was influenced by political interests. Is the Alaafin of Oyo now a political appointment, or do the Oyomesi still have any real authority?
Hon. Ademola Ojo, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, wasted no time declaring that this announcement has finally ended all the “socio and legal bickerings” that have plagued Oyo State since the passing of the late Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, on April 22, 2022. Now, the government is calling on the people to celebrate this “momentous occasion” and support the new Alaafin. Ojo even prayed that Prince Owoade’s reign would usher in peace, prosperity, and unity to the Oyo Kingdom.
Traditionally, the Oyomesi, the kingmakers of Oyo, hold the sacred duty of selecting the Alaafin through consultations with the Ifa oracle. But with the governor stepping in as the final approver, are the Oyomesi now just ceremonial figures while politicians pull the strings?
If cultural institutions continue to bow to political influence, how long before other royal thrones across the country face the same fate?
