Makinde: Those who collected money for Alaafin stool will be prosecuted

Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo, says those who received bribes for the selection of the Alaafin of Oyo designate would be prosecuted.

Makinde spoke on Monday when he presented the staff of the office to Abimbola Owoade, the new Alaafin of Oyo.

The presentation of the staff and certificate of recognition took place at the Oyo state government house in Ibadan, the capital city.

Makinde announced Owoade as the Alaafin-designate on Friday despite pushback from a five-member faction of the Oyomesi (kingmakers).

Those in the faction insisted on Lukman Gbadegesin as their preferred choice for Alaafin.

In July 2024, the other two members of the Oyomesi told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that Gbadegesin offered each of the five kingmakers N15 million during the Alaafin selection process.

While presenting the instruments of office to the monarch, Makinde reiterated that the Alaafin stool would not be for sale under his watch.

He added that those who sought to destabilise the traditional institution in the state will be prosecuted.

“The government is not letting down. We will prosecute them. The money they collected, they will still be prosecuted,” the governor said.

“Except they go to Kabiyesi and apologise; if he forgives them, then I will also forgive them.”

The governor further said there was no political consideration in approving Owoade as Alaafin.

He said he had neither spoken to Owoade nor met him or either of the other princes contesting the stool.

This, he said, was to allow him to be objective in his decision.

“Some people said maybe it was political consideration. No. Politics, electioneering is a game,” he said.

It’s only when you have been elected that governance becomes a serious business because you will take decisions that will affect millions of people. So, we will not play politics with governance.

“Let me say this clearly: when we came in 2019, we had challenges with the traditional institution in Ibadanland, and it has been resolved to everybody’s satisfaction.

“The Alaafin stool became vacant in 2022. We were moving towards the election, and people said, ‘you have to approve the appointment of Alaafin; otherwise, Oyo people would not vote for you’.

“I said, ‘the people should not vote for me, but that I would do what was right,’ and Oyo voted for me massively. And Oyo will still continue to vote for me.”

Makinde said the coronation will take place in four weeks, adding that, “on that day, I’ll talk”.