Some indigenes of Oyo town, yesterday, demonstrated at the Oyo High Court entrance in Awe, expressing their discontent with the prolonged process of appointing a new Alaafin.
The demonstrators carried signs with various messages, including: ‘Oyo Mesi follow tradition, not money’, ‘Alaafin stool is not for sale’, ‘On Alaafin: Let dignity reign’, ‘Alaafin: Due process, Ife consultation are sacrosanct’ among others.
Meanwhile, the High Court in Oyo Town, Oyo State, has postponed a case brought by five kingmakers against the state Governor, Seyi Makinde, the Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Matters, as well as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice. This case pertains to the vacant Alaafin of Oyo throne. It has been rescheduled for a hearing on Thursday.
It’s worth noting that the Oyo Mesi (kingmakers) has taken legal action against the governor and two others for halting the process of selecting/appointing a candidate for the vacant position of the Alaafin of Oyo.
The claimants, namely Chief Yusuf Ayoola, holding the title of Basorun of Oyo; Chief Wakeel Oyedepo, who is the Laguna of Oyo; Chief Amuda Yusuf, known as Akiniku of Oyo; Chief Wahab Oyetunji, the Areago Basorun of Oyo, and Chief Gbadebo Mufutau, who serves as Alapo of Oyo and holds the position of Warrant Officer for Alaapini of Oyo, were all present in the courtroom.
The applicants, in their requests, sought, among other things, an order for a temporary injunction to prevent the defendants, their officers, agents, employees, or representatives from obstructing the selection/appointment process of a candidate for the vacant Alaafin of Oyo throne, as duly carried out by the Kingmakers of the Alaafin of Oyo. They also sought to prevent the removal of the claimants from their positions as kingmakers of the Alaafin of Oyo or the dissolution of the Oyomesi in Council. Furthermore, they aimed to stop the appointment or selection of warrant chiefs to initiate a new process for filling the vacant Alaafin of Oyo position until a motion on notice is heard and resolved.