Nine royal families seek right to Alaafin stool

 As the race to produce the next Alaafin of Oyo advances, nine royal families from the town have begun moves to establish their right to the throne.

The nine families insisted as members of the Atiba ruling house and direct descendants of the Alaafin Atiba, the first Alaafin of the current Oyo, their right to ascend the throne must be officially recognised during the current race to fill the stool.

The stool became vacant following the demise of Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III on April 23. He spent 51 years on the throne.

The race to fill the vacant stool is already heating up within the Agunloye royal compound, the second ruling compound that has been producing the Alaafin.

Occupants of the throne have been rotated between Alowolodu and Agunloye compounds but nine families have requested their inclusion.

The families are Olanite, Tella Okitipapa, Adesiyan, Tella Agbojulogun, Adelabu, Baba Idode, Abidekun, Adediran and Adeitan.

They contended that Alaafin Atiba had 11 sons, not two, as has been popularly believed, which makes the throne rotates between Alowolodu and Agunloye families.

The nine families have urged the Oyo Governor, Seyi Makinde, to look into and implement the 1976 report on the Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy Declaration, as a prerequisite for the appointment of the next Alaafin of Oyo.