The Iba Samu of Oyo Empire, Chief Lamidi Oyewale, who is one of the ‘Oyo Mesi’ (King Makers) in Oyo town said on Thursday tag a new Alaafin of Oyo will likely emerge before May 29 this year.
He said the delay in the current ongoing process to choose the new monarch is to have rancour-free coronation peaceful reign of the new monarch.
Recall that a rumor filtered on social media on Wednesday that one of the contestants for the stool, Prince Lukman Mofojudola Ayinla Gbadegesin Agunloye had been appointed as the new monarch.
But the Oyo State Government, through the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun, announced that no one had been chosen as the new Alaafin of Oyo.
Speaking in Oyo town at the one year remembrance prayer for late Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Chief Oyewale urged people to be patient. He noted that the process of choosing the monarch is a painstaking one and assured that there won’t be any problem when the new king eventually emerges.
According to him, Oyo town had in the past been without a king for over three years and there was no problem or a breakdown of law and order.
“It’s just a year the late Alaafin died. Before the swearing-in of the governor, a new Oyo monarch will emerge.
“I don’t want to comment much on the process of the emergence of new Alaafin. I’ve said a lot of things and granted a lot of interviews concerning it. Though we have little challenges, my prayer is that God will give us another king that will better our lives.”
The stool of Alaafin became vacant when Oba Lamidi Adeyemi joined his ancestors at 83 after spending 52 years on the throne.
People at the one-year remembrance prayer eulogized the late monarch for his efforts towards development, sustainability and upholding unity of Yoruba land, saying the vacancy the monarch left would be hard to be filled.
Dignitaries at the event include Mogaji Hassan Oranlola, the Aminu Mumina of Oyo State, Alhaji Yakubu Manasara, Imam Alaafin, Alhaji Muhammed Olanrewaju, Alhaji Mudashiru Yusuf and Alhaji Muhammed Bashir among others.