Processes toward the emergence of the next Alaafin of Oyo are set to continue with the Oyomesi (kingmakers) billed to begin the screening of 119 persons that applied to fill the vacant stool.

Head of princes of Oyo town, High Chief Mukaila Afonja, also referred to as Baba Iyaji, confirmed to Tribune Online that the ball was present in the court of the Oyomesi where the applications were transmitted to.

Though he didn’t give a specific commencement date, Afonja said the screening of 119 princes from various royal families that applied at the close of application on July 15 will begin soon.

He affirmed that the Oyomesi had begun working on the applications, with the screening to take the form of the applicants being invited either in fives or tens.

At the screening sessions, it is expected that the applicants will be scrutinised along the line of their educational qualification, schools attended, age, vision, aim and objectives for Oyo town, if they emerge.

In addition, the Oyomesi will also be looking out for the prospective Alaafin to have a rich sense of history, be educated, experienced, healthy, and have a good command of both English and Yoruba.

Several stages of screenings are expected to hold in weeks to come targeted at pruning down the number of applicants to just a few before the oracle will be consulted for direction on picking the successor to the late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi. (Nigerian Tribune)

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