Alaafin Denies Meeting Makinde, Rejects Rotational Chairmanship as New Crisis Hits Oyo
Alaafin Denies Meeting Makinde, Rejects Rotational Chairmanship as New Crisis Hits Oyo. The delicate fabric of traditional authority in Oyo State has been strained following the Alaafin of Oyo’s sharp rebuttal of claims that he endorsed the new rotational chairmanship in Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs. In a forceful statement issued on January 15, 2026, the Palace of the Alaafin, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, categorically denied any meeting or agreement with Governor Seyi Makinde regarding the transition from a permanent to a rotational leadership structure. This development has transformed a government administrative milestone into a full-blown constitutional and cultural standoff.
During the colorful inauguration of the reconstituted council at the House of Chiefs in Ibadan, Governor Makinde had informed the public that his decision followed extensive consultations with the “Big Three” monarchs, the Alaafin, the Olubadan, and the Soun. According to the Governor, the trio reached a consensus to rotate the chairmanship every two years, starting with the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja.
However, the Alaafin’s Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, countered this narrative within hours, stating, “There was no time that His Imperial Majesty held any meeting with either the state governor or the other two traditional rulers mentioned.”
The crux of the dispute lies in the repeal of the 2000 Chieftaincy Law, replaced by the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs Law 2025. This new legislation effectively stripped the Alaafin stool of its century-old status as the permanent chairman, a role many traditionalists believe is an ancestral birthright tied to the historical Oyo Empire.
The Alaafin’s palace insists that the monarch never made a categorical statement of endorsement and that their formal position, favoring the preservation of historical hierarchy, had already been submitted via a detailed memorandum from the Oyo Council of Elders.
This internal rift was further highlighted by the Alaafin’s conspicuous absence from the inauguration ceremony. While the government maintains that the rotational system promotes equity and unity, critics and groups like the Oyo Forum argue that reducing the Alaafin’s role to a revolving political appointment desecrates a legacy that transcends modern state boundaries. The palace emphasized that the monarch’s stance remains firm: historical precedence should not be sacrificed on the altar of administrative convenience.
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As the Olubadan begins his two-year tenure, the shadow of the Alaafin’s rejection looms large over the council’s legitimacy. With the “pace-setter” state’s traditional institution finally reconvening after 15 years of dormancy, the primary challenge will be navigating this leadership friction. Whether the government can reconcile with the Oyo throne or if the matter will head to the courts remains the most pressing question for the people of Oyo State.