The 86 shortlisted contestants for the vacant throne of Alaafin of Oyo have been urged for support whoever that emerges as Alaafin among them for the peace, progress and unity of Oyo Kingdom.
The kingmakers and Atiba Local Government gave the charge during a peace parley they organised for the contestants ahead of the commencement of the screening exercise on Monday September 5, 2022.
Daily Sun gathered that two ruling houses have been producing the occupiers of the throne on rotational basis. The ruling houses are Agunloye and Alowolodu. The last Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, was produced by the Alowolodu ruling house. This might be the reason all the 86 shortlisted princes, as gathered, are from the Agunloye ruling house.
The meeting was held at the Agbala Ogun hall in the ancient palace and it provided avenue for the aspirants of the same ruling house to brainstorm, ventilate their minds and interact mutually.
A statement issued on Sunday by the Director of Media to Alaafin, Mr. Bode Durojaiye, said the chairperson of Atiba Local Government, Oyo Alhaja Kafilat Olakojo, was in attendance, with the Director of Administration of the council, as observers.
The Regent and Basorun of Oyo, High Chief Yussuf Ayoola Layinka 1, sued for peace among the aspirants, adding that, it is only when they are together, devoid of bickering, animosity that they can remove the defects of the town, in terms industrial underdevelopment and lack of job opportunities for the youths.
“Only if we all are together as a society can we remove the defects in society. There are flaws in every society. In order to remove these flaws, we all should come together and reorganize society. In order to remove these flaws , all of you must come together and re-organise the town, irrespective of who emerges as the candidate for progress and development.
“You have the skills to be useful to everyone. You must apply these skills to create a broad perspective of a one indivisible family. Unity and love among all of you is absolutely essential. We need unity to reform, unity for progress, unity for getting rid of all the ills in our town.”
The Head ( Mogaji) of Agunloye Royal Family, Pa Prince Samuel Adeladan, said the ruling house would not tolerate undue delay and prolongation in the selection of a new candidate for the Alaafin stool, adding that all the due processes must be within this year.
Prince Adeladan enjoined all the aspirants to close ranks and allow love and unity to be their focal point. He also charged them to eschew recrimination and rally round whoever emerges as the candidate for the Royal stool.
In the same vein, Emeritus Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu, also an aspirant l, stated: “I am father to all the aspirants and not desperate to be the next Alaafin. But I will continue to work and partner with whoever emerges for the rapid industrial growth of the town and promotion of the cherished Alaafin institution.”
Another aspirant, Prince Kabir Gbadegesin, noted that ‘what should be paramount to all aspirants is the goodness of the town and its environs, rather than egoistic desires and winner take all syndrome. There must be paradigm shift on how best to transform our town and its environs for the good of all and not give utmost consideration to personal aggrandisement . The stool can only accommodate one person at a time, hence the need for mutual coexistence and unity of purpose in our collective aspirations.”
Source : TheSun
