No fewer than 48 persons who have shown interest in the Alaafin stool, are presently being considered for the next phase of selection.
According to the Agunloye ruling house, applications from 48 qualified princes race to fill the vacant stool of Alaafin of Oyo, will now be presented for the next step of the process.
The candidates are to be presented to the head of princes (Baba Iyaji) on Thursday, June 9. Baba Iyaji will then hand over the list of candidates to the Oyomesi.
Oyomesi are the kingmakers and members of Alaafin-in-Council.
Headed by the Basorun of Oyo, the kingmakers are expected to consult Ifa oracle on who is best for the stool among the candidates.
It would be recalled that the last Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, joined his ancestors on April 22 after a 52-year reign. His 40th Fidau ceremony was held last Saturday, marking the end of his mourning. The final burial ceremony paved the way for commencement of the process to pick and enthrone a new monarch.
In the meantime, the stool has been rotating between Alowolodu and Agunloye ruling houses. Adeyemi III was of the Alowolodu ruling house.
Though the current Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration has been approved by the state government for review, it is yet to be undertaken. The review is supposed to accommodate other royal families who are descendants of Alaafin Abiodun Atiba, who was the first Alaafin in the present day Oyo.
The families are currently in court to seek orders compelling Atiba Local Government to undertake the review, to enable their princes join the race.