Why we are slow in picking new Alaafin, Soun — Makinde
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State said the need to avoid controversy bordering on litigations informed the tardiness that has characterised the selection of a new Alaafin of Oyo and the Soun of Ogbomoso.
Upon the deaths of the last occupants, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and Oba Oladunni Oyewumi respectively both stools have remain vacant for over a year, a situation Makinde attributed to due process that would ensure whoever emerge are not objects of litigation.
The governor stated this at the swearing-in of Justice Iyabo Yerima as substantive Chief Judge of Oyo, saying, “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.”
