The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade has dismissed claims by Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, that he consulted with three prominent traditional rulers in the state over the rotational chairmanship of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
This is contained in a press release issued on January 15, 2026, by Bode Durojaiye, the Director of Media and Publicity to Alaafin.
According to Durojaiye, the attention of the palace was drawn to a statement credited to the governor, in which he claimed to have met with the Alaafin of Oyo, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, and the Soun of Ogbomoso on the issue.
The palace, however, clarified that at no time did the Alaafin hold any meeting with Governor Makinde or with any of the two traditional rulers mentioned regarding the chairmanship of the council.
The statement further stressed that the Alaafin neither discussed nor gave any endorsement to the governor on the idea of a rotational chairmanship among the three monarchs
He further stated that the position of the Alaafin and the entire Oyo community on matters relating to the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs has already been clearly articulated in a formal memorandum submitted to Governor Makinde by the Oyo Council of Elders.
The palace urged the public to disregard any claims suggesting otherwise.
The Statement reads.
“The attention of the Alaafin’s Palace has been drawn to a statement credited to His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde that he consulted with the three traditional rulers in the State, the Alaafin, the Olubadan and the Soun of Ogbomoso on the rotational Chairmanship of the State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
The Palace hereby wants to state clearly that there was no time that His Imperial Majesty, the Alaafin of Oyo , Oba Engineer Abimbola Akeem Owoade 1, held any meeting with either the State Governor or any of the two traditional rulers mentioned above.
Also the Alaafin did not tell the Governor or make a categorical statement on his endorsement of rotational Chairmanship among the three traditional rulers in the State.
The position of the Alaafin and the Entire Oyo Community on the general issue of the,State, Council of Obas,and Chiefs has been enunciated in a Memo delivered to His Excellency by the Oyo Council of Elders.
Signed Bode Durojaiye,
Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, Paramount Ruler of Oyo Kingdom and the Superior Head of Yorubaland.”