Atiba Descendants Want Selection Of New Alaafin Suspended
Descendants of the Atiba royal family of Oyo have expressed strong disapproval over the ongoing circumstances surrounding the process for selection of new Alaafin of Oyo.
The aggrieved royal families, Monday, called on Governor Seyi Makinde, to immediately order the discontinuation of the selection process, following allegation that they have been denied the opportunity to be considered for the throne of Alaafin.
Nine families of Atiba during a press briefing in Oyo, insisted that the state government should suspend the process until ongoing court cases on the matter are concluded.
Prince Ademola Adesina Afolabi of the Adeitan royal family, who addressed the media, said they demanded that the state should discontinue the process of appointing the successor of the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, because of ongoing court cases on exclusion of their families from ascending the throne.
He said the family had earlier warned that the 58 princes that were shortlisted was a misnomer and should not have been.
Other members of the families present were Prince Makanjuola Adediran of the Adediran Ese Apete royal family; Prince Remi Azeez of the Tella Okitipapa royal family; Prince Adediwura Lamola from Olanite royal family; Prince Agboyin Olayiwola of the Adelabu royal family; Prince Adebowale Adesiyan of the Adesiyan royal family; Prince Adetunji Adesokan of Baba Idode royal family; Prince Adekunle Bello of Iteade Abidekun Omo Atiba family and Prince Tella Agbojulogun The families alleged that the government was not following the right process in the ongoing selection of the new Alaafin of Oyo.
According to them, “out of the 11 families, two are benefitting from the stool and nine others have been overlooked. Because of this, we have appealed to the government to discontinue the process of selection of the new Alaafin.”
They also appealed to the state government to allow the processes in court to be concluded before choosing or continuing of the process of the selection.
According to them, “This is meant to bring to the notice of government that there are matters in court and we seek for the discontinuation of the process of selection of the new Alaafin if the government is indeed following the rule of law in the process.
“We want fairness, equity and justice in the selection of the new Alaafin.
“The constitution empowers people to challenge chieftaincy selection and that is why it is being challenged. Why were our families excluded in the process?”
The families further cited previous efforts they had made to find out why they had been excluded from ascending the throne and said that there had been proclamation by governments in the past that there should be a single ruling house in Oyo, which they said should be called “Atiba Ruling House which is to include all the descendants of Alaafin Atiba.”
They added that out of the 11 royal families, only two have been the beneficiaries of the stool, the nine royal families had been sidelined. “So, having appealed to the Oyo State government based on its ability and as it was empowered in the chieftaincy law of Oyo State section 10 (3) to come to our rescue by discontinuing the process.”
They also pointed to the 1979 Constitution, which did not empower individuals or groups to challenge a chieftaincy law and so also the 1999 Constitution as amended. “This empowers us to appeal to the Oyo State government that they should allow the process in the court of law since 2020, the other processes in the courts as at the moment and the one that is to come up in a week’s time, the judiciary should complete and conclude the matter before the government can continue the process of choosing or installing new Alaafin,” say the families.
According to the nine families, “the Agunloye family that was favoured by the letter written to Baba Iyaji, dated August 9, 2022 that Baba Iyaji should liaise with the Agunloye Family to choose a crown prince and present to the government, “we are now pleading that vide Ojukwu versus the Military Administrator of Lagos State, 1986 JELR 51747, a Supreme Court decision that the judiciary is empowered to decide independently a matter before it to which the interest of government or the interest of an individual is suffering.
“So, we seek for the discontinuation of the process of choosing Alaafin that is going for the past one week which excluded all other royal families that were recommended and approved by past commissions of enquirer in the state.”
