New Alaafin Begins Traditional Rites after Receiving Staff of Office from Gov. Makinde

With the presentation of the staff of office and certificate of appointment to him by the Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde, in Ibadan on Monday, the Alaafin of Oyo-elect, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, is set to begin the mandatory 21-day traditional rites as the new paramount ruler of the ancient town.

He succeeds the 44th Alaafin Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, who joined his ancestors on Friday, April 22, 2022, at the age of 83 and after 52 years on the throne, making him the longest ruling Alaafin.

The Oyo State Government announced the choice of then Prince Owoade as the Alaafin-elect last Friday to succeed the 44th Alaafin Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III,

Governor Seyi Makinde presented him with the Staff of Office in his office at Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Monday, January 13, 2025,

Speaking at the ceremony, Makinde maintained that he never meddled in the selection of the new Alaafin because of his administration’s belief in openness and transparency.

“The Alaafin stool is very important not just to Oyo Town or Oyo State but the entire Yoruba race,” Makinde declared at the historic event. So, under my watch, I made it very clear that the stool would not be for sale. It is not a stool for us to toil with.

“I met Prince Owoade for the first time in my life yesterday. I never spoke to him in my entire life until yesterday. I did not know his profile or the profile of any of the princes vying for the stool and it was deliberate, because I did not want my opinion to influence the process.

“Let me say this clearly; when we came in 2019, we had challenges with the traditional institution in Ibadanland and it has been resolved to everybody’s satisfaction.

“When it was time for us to approve the selection of Okere, some people came to me and said ‘This is our friend’. They said one person is APC and I said it does not mean anything to me whether you are PDP or APC. Why should my decision be based on political consideration? So, I approved the selection of the Saki kingmakers.

“I always tell people not to kill themselves over politicians, because we see ourselves in the night. We go to each other’s houses. Politics, electioneering is a game. It’s only when you have been elected, then governance becomes a serious business because you will take decisions that will affect millions of people. So, we will not play politics with governance.”