•Prince Gbadegesin (middle) and his family
Oyo in Southwest Nigeria and one of the African ancient empires, is gearing up to elect her new Alaafin.
Prince Lukman Adelodu Gbadegesin is one of the contenders.
If the kingmakers picked him, Prince Gbadegesin will succeed the late top Yoruba monarch, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who joined his ancestors a year ago this April.
Alaafin Adeyemi, the third from the Alowodu Ruling House, died at the Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State on April 22, 2022.
The late Lamidi was 83 years old at the time of his death and happened to be the longest reigning Alaafin ever, having ruled for 52 years.
Since his demise, the Bashorun of Oyo, Yusuf Akinade, who is also the head of the ‘Oyo Mesi’, has been leading the Oyo town traditionally and will continue to exercise same function until a new Alaafin is installed.
Alaafin Adeyemi was born Lamidi Olayiwola Atanda Adeyemi on October 15, 1938 into the Alowolodu Royal House of the famous Oyo town.
He was crowned on November 18, 1970, succeeding Oba Gbadegesin Ladigbolu I. He was known popularly in his lifetime as Iku Baba Yeye.
it is the turn of the Agunloye Ruling House to produce the next Oyo monarch, according to sources close to the throne.
Mr Adeyemi’s predecessor, Alaafin Ladigbolu, was from the Agunloye House.
Gbadegesin was screened alongside other princes for the exalted Yoruba royal throne in September last year as the stool became vacant following the demise of Alaafin Adeyemi 111 on April 22, 2022.
Young Prince Gbadegesin hails from the Gbadegesin family of the Agunloye Ruling House. He is a grandchild of Alaafin Gbadegesin Ladigbolu II, the predecessor of Alaafin Lamidi Adeyemi III.
The Oyomesi, the Oyo traditional council, led by the Bashorun, started interviewing potential successors from the 86 listed contenders, including Lukman Gbadegesin, on September 5, 2022 at the Agbala Ogun Hall in the Alaafin’s Palace in Oyo.
The Daily Crucible reports that Gbadegesin was a former Personal Assistant to Alhaji Aruna Elewi, a minister of state for communication during Chief Olusegun Obasanjo:s era as an elected President of Nigeria and he is also believed to be an associate of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in the February 25, 2023 Presidential election.
Gbadegesin emergence may generate controversy. Although he has been tipped as one of the favourites among the princes jostling to be the next Alaafin of Oyo, according to sources.
However, there is a groundswell of opposition to his ambition to occupy the highly venerated Yoruba stool.
Some are more than ready to use court processes to stop him from emerging the Alaafin – elect.
Will Prince Gbadegesin succeed with his ambition? The answer is hidden in the womb of time.
