“I was not consulted” – Alaafin replies Gov Makinde over Ladoja’s inauguration as Obas council chairman in Oyo

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade,  says he was not consulted by Governor Seyi Makinde before the inauguration of Oba Rashidi Ladoja, Olubadan of Ibadanland, as chairman of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.

The monarch said his absence from the inauguration was deliberate, adding that there was no prior discussion with the governor on the issue of rotational chairmanship.

Governor Makinde had on Thursday inaugurated Oba Ladoja as chairman of the council at the House of Chiefs.

The governor said he consulted the three monarchs involved in the rotation of the chairmanship — the Alaafin of Oyo, the Olubadan of Ibadanland and the Soun of Ogbomoso.

Governor Makinde said the monarchs agreed that the Olubadan should occupy the position for the next two years before the chairmanship is rotated to others.

However, reacting to the governor’s statement, the Alaafin, in a statement by his spokesman, Bode Durojaiye, denied any such consultation.

Part of the statement 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 I, held any meeting with either the state governor or any of the two traditional rulers mentioned above.”

The palace said the Alaafin did not endorse any rotational chairmanship arrangement among the three monarchs.

“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 statement said.

It added that the position of the Alaafin and the Oyo community on the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs had earlier been communicated to the governor through a memorandum.