ONE of the contenders to the Alaafin stool, Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu, yesterday, expressed worry over the delay in the selection and announcement of a new Alaafin by the kingmakers and the Oyo State Government.
Speaking on the annual Oranyan festival, which he said may not hold due to the delay in the selection of the new monarch,
Archbishop Ladigbolu said: “We don’t know where the selection process stopped. All I know is that it is between the kingmakers (Oyomesi) and Oyo State Government. If anyone from the royal lineage says he knows, it means he doesn’t know what he’s saying.
“All people who are not even journalists keep asking us when a new Alaafin will be installed. Oyo residents always ask us. In fact, just today (yesterday) I had to write sponsors of our annual festival that I’m not sure if Oranyan festival will hold this year. It usually holds the first and second week in September every year.
“For the past 11 years, we have been celebrating Oranyan festival but when there’s no king on the throne, it becomes doubtful if we can hold the festival. I told our festival sponsors that there may be factors which may call for the postponement of the festival this year. So, if I know where the selection process reached, I won’t write such a letter.”
On the implications of marking the festival without an Alaafin, he said: “What is most appropriate is for Alaafin to be present at the celebration. We held that of last year even though Oba Lamidi Adeyemi had joined his ancestors, just to commemorate the memorial of our departed king thinking that by now another king would have been installed.”
“But, this year, we won’t have any excuse holding the festival while the Alaafin stool remains vacant. The festival is to celebrate Oranyan who was the first Alaafin of Oyo. It is to display the beauty of Yoruba rich cultural heritage and it will be highly important to have the king on the throne because he’s the one to preside over the festival.”
Oyo govt keeps mum
When Vanguard called the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, he didn’t answer the calls.
The Chief Press Secretary, Mr Suleiman Olanrewaju, when contacted on the matter, said: “I will have to gather information before I can say anything. When I gather the information, I will send it to you.” (Vanguard)
