A prince from the Adeitan Royal Family, Prince Afolabi Ademola Adesina has criticised the purported screening of only princes from the Agunloye Ruling House to fill the Alaafin stool.
In a statement made available to news men on Saturday, Prince Adesina said the government cannot rely on the “defective 1961 Declaration” to make the selection for the next Alaafin.
According to him, the only credible source to declare the list of qualified princes for the Alaafin stool is the Baba Iyaji via the latest instrument of law, that was gazetted by the Oyo State government in July 2001.
The statement reads below:
“Alaafin Stool: 58 Cleared Princes A Ruse
“My attention has been drawn to an online publication stating that 61 Oyo princes have been disqualified while 58 others were purportedly cleared by the kingmakers to contest for the vacant Stool of Alaafin of Oyo.
“The reported clearance of 58 princes and disqualification of 61 others who are contesting for the stool of Alaafin of Oyo is a ruse and cannot stand the test of the law.
“It is unfortunate that the pseudo writer cannot display the names of the unfounded list of princes reportedly cleared by the head of the princes, Baba Iyaji and could not show to the world where Baba Iyaji of Oyo signed the purported list.
“You will recall that, recently, I drew the attention of the acting governor and the Oyo State government to a letter dated 9th of August, 2022 in which the Director of Administration in Atiba Local Government Area, Ayoola A. A., claimed that he was directed by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters and Chairman of Atiba Local Government (Hon Kafila Olakojo) that Baba Iyaji of Oyo should liaise with the Agunloye Ruling House to pick a crown prince and present it to the Oyomesi through Chief Bashorun of Oyo because they relied on the defective 1961 Declaration.
“It was to this effect, without minding our public outcry, that the Director of Administration in Atiba Local Government Area pressured Baba Iyaji to summon the purported meeting with the Agunloye Ruling House to identify their nominees among the 119 applicants for the stool of Alafin.
“The outcome of this illegal meeting was what their anonymous writer tagged the disqualification of 61 Royal Princes of Alafin Atiba Descendants.
“However, on behalf of all Atiba descendants, I urge the public to disregard the rumour and throw the news into the dustbin of irrelevance as the only credible source to declare the list of qualified princes for the Alaafin stool is the Baba Iyaji, via the latest instrument of law that was gazetted by the Oyo State government in July, 2001″, it added.
Prince Afolabi further appealed to the Acting Governor, Chief Bayo Lawal and Governor ‘Seyi Makinde, to call the agents of government to order, and stop the illegal development and ensure due process in selecting the new Alaafin.
“We are also pleading with the Oyo State government to allow all matters in court to be concluded before taking any step of eligibility process for all the 119 princes who are contesting for the revered Stool of Alaafin of Oyo.
“As law-abiding citizens, we are looking forward to a better response from the government in killing this kangaroo screening that is attempting to eliminate the most qualified princes from the race to the stool of their forebears”, he concluded.
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