NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
The nine royal families in Oyo which have been reportedly excluded from producing the Alaafin since 1859 have pleaded with Governor Seyi Makinde to allow them present a sole candidate for the throne this time as a matter of fairness and equity.
The nine families in a joint statement on Saturday urged the governor to demonstrate justice and fairness as he did in the 2023 general elections by correcting historical imbalance.
They posited that the age-long denial necessitated the suit filed at Oyo State High Court which is aimed at correcting the historical imbalance.
The case, according to the statement has been fixed for hearing on October 19, 2023.
However, pending the determination of the suit, the families, thereby urged the governor to use his position to rewrite the history.
According to them, this will enable him to etch his name in gold.
It be recalled that Governor Makinde had during the commissioning of Oyo-Iseyin road made it known that vacant Alaafin stool is not for sale.
The pronouncement as contained in the statement gladden the hearts of the deprived families.
The families, now popularly known as Atiba 9, are in court seeking implementation of a 1976 state government’s decision which directed the Alaafin traditional council to review the Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration in order to accommodate the ruling houses.
The statement read: “Atiba 9, represented by their spokesman Prince Sina Afolabi, would like to express their commendation for the executive governor of Oyo State, His Excellency Governor Seyi Makinde, in his recent statement regarding the sacred stool of Alafin of Oyo. The nine sidelined ruling houses believe that the governor should be praised for his assertion that the prestigious stool is not for sale.
“The families, who have been marginalized for many years, including the Olawoyin house, which also belongs to the Alaafin Atiba dynasty, urge Governor Makinde to uphold the sanctity of the law by honoring the ongoing court cases. They requested that the governor consider their plea to
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