Newly Crowned Alaafin of Oyo Breaks Silence, Shares How He Heard About His Selection
- Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, the newly crowned Alaafin of Oyo, recounted his surprising journey to the throne, guided by Ifa divination rather than political influence
- He expressed gratitude to Governor Seyi Makinde for respecting Yoruba traditions during the selection process
- Reflecting on lessons from the Ipebi seclusion period, Oba Owoade pledged to uphold the legacies of past Alaafins and foster unity across cultural and religious lines
Ibadan, Oyo State - Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, the newly crowned Alaafin of Oyo, shared the remarkable journey that led to his emergence as the monarch of the historic Yoruba kingdom.
In an interview published on April 5 by the Nigerian Tribune, the king disclosed that his selection was guided by Ifa divination rather than political connections.

Source: Twitter
He recounted receiving the news while in Canada, describing the moment as both surprising and humbling.
In his words:
“I was sleeping and when I woke up, I decided to just check my phone. The next thing, I received a message from my younger brother. The message he sent was a link… I clicked on the link and the headline read: ‘Governor Makinde approves Prince Abimbola Akeem Owoade as Alaafin-elect’,” he narrated.

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Respect for tradition and cultural processes
Oba Owoade expressed gratitude to Governor Seyi Makinde for respecting traditional processes during the selection, ensuring that politics did not interfere.
He dismissed rumours of extravagant spending, clarifying that he only gave customary gifts. Reflecting on his time in Ipebi, the traditional seclusion period, he described it as a transformative experience filled with lessons about Oyo’s history and politics.
“I learnt a lot of lessons. It is a place of lifelong lessons. Traditional historians came around and they told me stories about Oyo and the politics of Oyo and Yorubaland in its entirety,” he said.
Commitment to unity and governance
The monarch paid tribute to past Alaafins, including Alaafin Lamidi Adeyemi and Alaafin Ladigbolu I, pledging to uphold their legacies and deliver good governance.
He called for unity across religious and traditional lines, emphasising the importance of character over outward displays of religiosity.
Oba Owoade’s vision for Oyo centres on cooperation and cultural preservation, promising progress through collective effort.
“I believe that, with the people’s cooperation, we can cover miles because Agbajo owo ni a fi n so’ya, owo kan o gb’eru d’ori. I embrace all religions. The Yoruba say Iwa l’esin. Your connection with your God matters more than the number of times you display religiosity,” he said.

Source: Facebook
Oyo gets new Alaafin as Oba Owoade ascends throne
Legit.ng earlier reported that Oba Abimbola Owoade has officially been crowned the 46th Alaafin of Oyo, marking a new chapter in the rich history of the ancient Yoruba kingdom.
He succeeds the late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, who reigned for over 50 years and passed away on April 22, 2022.
The colorful coronation ceremony was held on Saturday, April 5, at Oliveth Baptist High School, Oyo, drawing a crowd of traditional rulers, government officials, and well-wishers from across the country, The Punch reported.
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Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng

Basit Jamiu (Current Affairs and Politics Editor) Basit Jamiu is a journalist with more than five years of experience. He is a current affairs and politics editor at Legit.ng. He holds a bachelor's degree from Ekiti State University (2018). Basit previously worked as a staff writer at Ikeja Bird (2022), Associate Editor at Prime Progress (2022), and Staff Writer at The Movee (2018). He is a 2024 Open Climate Fellow (West Africa), 2023 MTN Media Fellow, OCRP Fellow at ICIR, and Accountability Fellow at CJID. Email: basit.jamiu@corp.legit.ng.

Nkem Ikeke (Copy editor) Nkem Ikeke is currently a copy editor who also writes for the politics and current affairs desk on weekends. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (2010), and has over 10 years of work experience in the media industry (Reporter, News Agency of Nigeria). Email: n.ikeke@corp.legit.ng