A contestant for the Alaafin of Oyo stool, Prince Lukman Gbadegesin, has taken legal action against Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, challenging the appointment of Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade as the new Alaafin.
Gbadegesin, who was reportedly recommended by a faction of the Oyomesi (kingmakers), is requesting the court to overturn the governor’s approval and presentation of the staff of office to Owoade.
In a pre-action notice signed by his legal counsel, Adekunle Sobaloju (SAN), and addressed to Governor Makinde, the prince argued that the governor’s actions violated the Oyo State Chiefs’ Law of 2000.
The selection process for the Alaafin has been embroiled in controversy, with five out of seven Oyomesi members initially endorsing Gbadegesin. However, on January 10, Makinde approved Owoade’s appointment and officially presented him with the staff of office.
During the ceremony, Governor Makinde asserted that he would not allow political interference in the Alaafin’s selection and warned that those attempting to destabilize the institution would face prosecution.
Gbadegesin’s legal team insists that the governor’s decision contradicts the Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration of 1961, which grants the Oyomesi the sole authority to select a new Alaafin. The lawsuit also challenges the alleged reliance on Ifa consultation in the selection process, citing a December 19, 2022, Oyo State High Court ruling that declared such consultations unlawful in the chieftaincy selection.
“The governor’s reliance on Ifa consultation contradicts a court ruling, and the bribery allegations raised against two Oyomesi members lack credibility, as they were not formally reported or investigated,” the legal document stated.
Gbadegesin is seeking a court declaration that he was lawfully chosen by the Oyomesi and that his appointment should be upheld. He also wants an order nullifying Owoade’s appointment, arguing that it was made in violation of the law and is therefore “unlawful, unconstitutional, invalid, null, and void.”
