*"selection process still ongoing, Lukman is too ambitious, manipulating media to his advantage"
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Following the news making the rounds that a new Alaafin of Oyo has emerged, a source within the palace, who is also one of the kingmakers, has dispelled, what he described as a" widely spread rumour" by one of the contestants to the throne, Prince Lukman Adelodu Gbadegesin, parading himself as the Alaafin-elect.
The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the process for the selection of a new Alaafin is still ongoing and the report of the consensus candidate has not been presented to the governor for final ratification.
He disclosed that Prince Gbadegesin has been over-ambitious using the media to achieve his personal ambition.
He said: “He is only too ambitious. He is using the media to make himself popular. No new Alaafin has emerged. The selection process is still on and we must follow due process as instructed by the governor. I am saying this without any equivocation that the public should disregard the news widely spread around by him.” No one has selected him as the Alaafin-elect. You know, he did his birthday yesterday and he’s trying to use the media to help himself and find favour.
According to Oyo tradition and the Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration, the law governing the process of succession, the Baba Iyaji would present the list of the princes to the Oyo Mesi whose head, the Bashorun, would then convene a decision after the screening. The meeting, to be witnessed by government officials, would feature a consensus or voting where there is a plurality of choices."
The source further posited that aside from announcing himself as the "new Alaa
fin", the process of his emergence was never mentioned ,or the authority that made his selection possible,so it's not true.
Prince Lukmon 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. Gbadegesin was a former Personal Assistant to Alhaji Aruna Elewi, a minister of state for communication during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration.
He is also reported to have been an associate of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 general elections.
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