Hearing in a suit seeking inclusion of nine royal families in the process to choose the new Alaafin of Oyo was stalled yesterday, as the judge did not sit.

The suit was filed by three members of the nine families named Atiba-9, and is being heard at an Oyo State High Court sitting in Oyo town.

The families are also descendants of Abiodun Atiba, the first Alaafin of the current Oyo town. Only two descendants – Agunloye and Alowolodu – have been producing the Alaafin after Atiba’s death.

In the suit, Atiba-9 is seeking an order directing the state government to review the Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy Declaration to include the nine royal families in view of the 1976 State Executive Council resolution, which directed the Alaafin of Oyo to undertake the review after pronouncing the declaration as defective for not accommodating Atiba-9.

Atiba-9 is also seeking an order interpreting the failure of the late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III to undertake the review as leaving the declaration defective and thereby invalid, meaning it cannot be used to select a new Alaafin if the nine families are not included.

Oyo kingmakers trade words over selection of new Alaafin

Consequently, the royal families want the court to restrain kingmakers and the government from selecting anyone for the Alaafin stool pending the determination of the suit.

The court has given November 28 as the new hearing date.

Oba Adeyemi III joined his ancestors in April last year after a 52-year reign. He hailed from Alowolodu family. (The Nation)