The struggle for who becomes the next Alaafin of Oyo in Oyo State has generated a crisis as aspirants from the Agunloye family jostle for the stool.
SaharaReporters gathered that following the passing of the former Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Atanda Adeyemi 111, from Alowolodu Royal House, Prince Lukman Gbadegesin, from the Agunloye family declared himself the next Alaafin of Oyo.
However, a senior member of the Agunloye family, Prince Gbolagade Sanda Olamipo, who spoke on behalf of all the aspirants in a statement described Prince Gbadegesin as despicable.
Olamipo described Gbadegesin as fraudulent, adding that he should be cautioned over his ambition.
“Prince Lukman Gbadegesin, a fraudulent man and a dropout from the Federal Government College, Sokoto, has continued to defecate the social media space with his picture as Oba Lukman Ayinla Gbadegesin, an act which is a criminal offence and the offender should be treated as such.
“To the best of members of the Agunloye’s family knowledge, procedures for the selection of a new Alaafin are still ongoing and no aspirant has been declared by the Oyo Mesi. So, who declared Prince Lukman Gbadegesin the new Alaafin of Oyo and when?” Prince Olamipo asked.
He further pointed out that the pressure being put on the Oyo Mesi (kingmakers) by Prince Gbadegesin’s cohorts to go with their choice is bad, adding that they should be punished for it to serve as a deterrent to others.
“Despite all these atrocities being committed by Prince Lukman Gbadegesin and his cohorts, no action has been taken by the Oyo Mesi to serve as a deterrent and nip the criminal act in the bud.
“This criminal act incites violence and undermines social cohesion and tolerance. The devastating effects also pose grave dangers for the cohesion of a just society, the protection of human rights and the rule of law. If left unaddressed, it can lead to civil strife on a wider scale,” Prince Olamipo added.
The last Alaafin, Lamidi Adeyemi, died in April at the age of 83, after almost 52 years on the throne – and as the longest-reigning Alaafin of all time.
Alaafin Adeyemi passed on at the Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti.