Alaafin: I’d rather have selection process delayed, says Makinde

Governor Seyi Makinde has reacted to the delay in the emergence of a new Alaafin of Oyo, saying it is due to his insistence that due process must be followed.

Recall that one year after the demise of the Oyo monarch, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the stool has been vacant.

Like that of Alaafin, the stool of the Soun of Ogbomoso has remained unoccupied since Oba Jimoh Oyewumi died on December 13, 2021.

During the swearing-in of Justice Iyabo Yerima as substantive Chief Judge of Oyo, Makinde said he had communicated to the relevant quarters that the institutional framework for the emergence of a new Alaafin and Soun must be diligently followed.

He said he would rather have the process delayed for the sake of due process than record a repeat of a situation where a monarch is removed by the courts.

According to him, as long as due process is followed, the state would be at ease should any aggrieved party decide to go to court to challenge the process of emergence of any monarch.

He said, “While coming to the office this morning, I saw in the news that the installation of a new Alaafin of Oyo and Soun of Ogbomoso is being delayed by me.

“What they fail to say is that I have already communicated that the institutional framework should be followed in the selection of a new Alaafin and new Soun.

“When you follow due process, things generally work out more efficiently. We have gone through, in this state, a situation where a king was removed by the judiciary after being on the throne for over 22 years and I said to myself that not under my watch are we going to repeat the same mistake

“I will rather delay and have due process followed and then we know that if anybody decides to go to court after that, the exercise will be a nullity. I believe this is what we need in Nigeria right now, strong institutions but we also need people to build strong institution.”