In a sharp rebuttal that has further deepened the controversy in Oyo State’s traditional leadership circles, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, has denied any consultation with Governor Seyi Makinde regarding the new rotational arrangement for the chairmanship of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs. The denial follows the governor’s inauguration of the council and appointment of the Olubadan of Ibadanland as chairman for the next two years.
The inauguration ceremony took place on Thursday at the House of Chiefs within the Oyo State House of Assembly Complex in Agodi, Ibadan. During the event, Governor Makinde announced that the chairmanship would rotate among three prominent traditional rulers—the Alaafin of Oyo, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, and the Soun of Ogbomosoland—with each serving a two-year term. He claimed the decision followed consultations with the trio, stating, “I consulted the Alaafin of Oyo; the Olubadan of Ibadanland and the Soun of Ogbomoso. And the agreement we reached is that they will start the rotation with the Kabiyesi Olubadan of Ibadanland.”
On this basis, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, the Olubadan, was pronounced chairman, a move enabled by the recent passage of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs (Further Amendments) Bill, 2025.
However, the Alaafin was notably absent from the ceremony, and his palace swiftly issued a statement refuting the governor’s claims. Signed by Bode Durojaiye, Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, 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 statement further emphasized that 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.” Instead, it pointed to a memo delivered to the governor by the Oyo Council of Elders, which outlines the Alaafin’s and the broader Oyo community’s position on the council’s structure.
While the Olubadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has not publicly commented on the consultation claims, he recently addressed a separate misunderstanding, denying that he snubbed the Alaafin at another event and attributing it to seating protocols and social media misinterpretation.
In contrast, the Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, who attended the inauguration, expressed support for the arrangement. In a social media post, he stated, “The decision for the chairmanship to rotate among the Olubadan of Ibadanland, the Alaafin of Oyo, and the Soun of Ogbomosoland reflects our shared heritage, mutual respect, and collective strength.”
The controversy highlights ongoing debates over traditional hierarchies in Oyo State, where the Alaafin has historically been viewed as a paramount figure in the old Oyo Empire.
