The Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, has denied ever holding any meeting with Governor Seyi Makinde or other traditional rulers in the state, regarding the rotational Chairmanship of the State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
Oba Owoade, in a statement issued on Thursday by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, clarified that he never endorsed rotational Chairmanship among the three traditional rulers in the state.
The release stated that the Governor’s claim of consulting with the Alaafin, Olubadan, and Soun of Ogbomoso on the issue is untrue, as no such meeting ever took place.
The palace reiterated that the Alaafin’s position on the State Council of Obas and Chiefs had already been communicated to the Governor through a Memo delivered by the Oyo Council of Elders.
The statement also emphasized that the Iku Baba Yeye is the Paramount Ruler of Oyo Kingdom and the Superior Head of Yorubaland, stating that any discussion or consultation on such matters should involve him directly in a transparent manner.
The release read: “The attention of the Alaafin’s Palace has been drawn to a statement credited to His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde that he consulted with the three traditional rulers in the State, the Alaafin, the Olubadan and the Soun of Ogbomoso on the rotational Chairmanship of the State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
“The Palace hereby wants to state clearly that there was no time that His Imperial Majesty, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Engineer Abimbola Akeem Owoade 1, held any meeting with either the State Governor or any of the two traditional rulers mentioned above.
“Also the Alaafin did not tell the Governor or make a categorical statement on his endorsement of rotational Chairmanship among the three traditional rulers in the State.
“The position of the Alaafin and the Entire Oyo Community on the general issue of the State, Council of Obas and Chiefs has been enunciated in a Memo delivered to His Excellency by the Oyo Council of Elders.”
