Selection of a new Alaafin: Social media and distortion of history

By Sidikatu Adebowale Ejide Olona

I salute the Regent and Bashorun of Oyo, High Chief Akinade Yussuf Ayoola, for his courageous and prompt response to the recently circulated write up on social media, which seeks to muddle up the kingship tradition in Oyo, by insisting that it is only the Ifá oracle that would be final decider of who becomes the next Alaafin of Oyo.

I also salute the Samu, Agbaakin, Akiniku, Alapini and Lagunna for their uprightness on the ongoing process of selecting the new Alaafin of Oyo. Oyo is known for PEACE! In the interest of continued peace and unity in Oyo, I continue to stand by my belief in these two things, namely, history/tradition and the LAW.

For the first, and very importantly, in terms of history and tradition. I grew up to know my family (the Atiba family) tradition of having Ona Ile Mole consult the Ifá oracle, most especially when it comes to the selection of a new monarch. I also know that once the Oyomesi determine which royal family is next to ascend the throne, they will screen the princes of the family and send the finalists to the Ifá divinity for the final consultation with the oracle and thereafter a new king will emerge. This is how it is peacefully done in MY FAMILY!

Could it be that it was thought that the next family to the throne would be the Agunloye family and that its 48/49 (what a close coincidence with the number of applications that the Regent Bashorun said he has received so far!) princes would be the ones sent to the Ifá oracle?! Would that be the self-centered, egoistic, covetous, money conscious, conscienceless, retroactive characteristics referred to in the Bashorun’s response?

One would be hard pressed not to think as such if out of 
the eleven legitimate sons of Atiba, only the lines of two of them, as represented by the Alawolodu family (where our recently departed father, Alaafin Adeyemi, hailed from) and the Agunloye family, consider it a given that the king would only be selected from among them. So, what happens to the lines of the other nine legitimate heirs to the throne? Have they been dispossessed by the Oyomesi, as Ifá could never be the source of such injustice?
Secondly, with regard to the Law, Section 38.1.1. (ii) of the White Paper (as referenced from the gazette of 16th of July, 2001) states that the Oyo South Local Government Council Chieftaincy Committee should amend the Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy Declaration to provide for ONLY ONE ruling house (the Atiba Ruling House), and which should include ALL the descendants of Atiba.
In his latest intervention, the Bashorun indicated that: 1.) there will be a screening exercise by the Oyomesi, after which the finalists will be sent to the oracle for divine guidance to lead them aright in their selection of the new Alaafin. I agree that this is the right approach, historically and traditionally. This is what I grew up with and believe in.
But the emergent question then is: Is this approach going to honour Section 38.1.1. (ii) of the white paper of 16th of July, 2001, which states that the Oyo South Local Government Council Chieftaincy Committee should amend the Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy Declaration to provide for ONLY ONE ruling house (the Atiba Ruling House), and which should include ALL the descendants of ATIBA. Will this screening exercise involve ALL of the 119 Atiba princes representing the 11 entitled families?
The number of contestants has only reached 49 and is still counting! How true could this statement of the Bashorun be, when in fact the Baba Iyaji submitted 119 applications to the Bashorun as of 15 July, 2022! What did the Bashorun do with the remaining applications?

As such one is tempted to consider the recently circulated intervention coming through the social media as being “mischievous”! Care needs to be taken so that one does not to stoop so low with the use of words. It would have been better to state exactly what was mischievous about the historical and legal facts in that recently circulated write up on social media!
Of course, we continue to watch how far YELLOW JOURNALISM would go in distorting historical facts and law relating to the selection of a new Alaafin!
May peace and unity reign forever in the Oyo Kingdom!

Olona is a princess from the Adelabu Ruling House of the Atiba Dynasty.

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