Abimbola Owoade Sworn In as 46th Alaafin of Oyo in Controversy

At a publicized ceremony at Oliveth Baptist High School in Oyo town, Abimbola Owoade was officially coronated as the 46th Alaafin of Oyo after the passing away of the late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi on April 22, 2022, aged 83 years.

The coronation ceremony, which is ongoing, has been attended by dignitaries across the country, with Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde among them. In a symbolic gesture, Governor Makinde presented Owoade with the staff of office, symbolically accepting him as the new Alaafin of Oyo.

This notwithstanding, the coronation has not been without controversy. The coronation of Owoade as Alaafin has drawn outrage from the Oyo Kingdom, whose stakeholders have taken the path of legal action against the governor and the newly crowned king. Opposition to the coronation of Owoade to the throne has created an atmosphere of tension and uncertainty in the kingdom, with some calling into question the validity of the coronation process.

Despite the controversy, the coronation ceremony has proceeded, and Owoade has been formally crowned the 46th Alaafin of Oyo. The new monarch is likely to be at the vanguard of promoting the cultural and traditional heritage of the Oyo Kingdom, and his coronation marks a milestone in the history of the kingdom.