The sudden death of the Alaafin of Oyo kingdom, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Atanda Adeyemi, may have aborted the planned conferment of the prestigious Chieftaincy title of “Aare Baasofin of Yorubaland” on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The conferment was slated for Friday, May 27, 2022, at the Forecourt of the Alaafin’s palace in the ancient Oyo town and was part of the grand finale to mark the 60th birthday ceremony of Speaker Gbajabiamila.
Oba Adeyemi who was billed to confer the title, however, died on Friday, April 22, 2022, and was buried on Saturday, April 23, barely a month to the execution of the elaborate program.
An invitation to the occasion by the Speaker showed that the Ooni of Ile-Ife and Arole Oduduwa, Oba Babatunde Enitan Ogunwusi were slated to be Royal Fathers of the day.
National Leader of the All Progressive Congress APC and former governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu was slated to be the Chairman at the ceremony.
CDAnews gathered that a Planning Committee put in place by the Speaker had invested heavily in the ceremony before the sudden death of the monarch.
It was learnt that various types of Aso Ebi had been purchased by various groups in the All Progressive Congress APC especially by the women and Youth wings with financial support from the chief celebrant to make the celebration glamorous.
At the moment, it is not clear if Alaafin’s successor will continue with the chieftaincy conferment and installation.
A source confided in our reporter that the departed monarch had picked an earlier date which was later shifted at the instance of the planning committee to enable it coincide with the 60th birthday of Speaker Gbajabiamila.
