Alaafin Spurns Ooni’s Caucus Over Criticism Of Buhari

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, on Friday, abruptly, cancelled a scheduled meeting with a group of prominent persons of Yoruba extraction backed by the Ooni of Ife.

The cancellation of the meeting was not unconnected to complaints that members of the group were serial antagonists and critics of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Ooni’s Caucus, which was inaugurated at the palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on July 20, 2021 comprises many influential Yoruba persons.

The caucus is being coordinated by a former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, Mr Akin Osuntokun.

PUNCH reports that Osuntokun led about 14 members of the group to the Alaafin’s palace for the appointment on Friday, but after waiting for about two and a half hours, the prominent monarch sent words to them that he would not be seeing them.

A former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, is also said to be a member of Ooni’s Caucus, but he was not on the delegation to the Alaafin’s palace on Friday.

The group had through the Olugbon secured an appointment with Alaafin since Monday, and the same appointment was confirmed on Thursday, only for them to get to the palace and the Alaafin refused to see them on the claim that they were anti-Buhari and were also loyalists of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, PUNCH quoted a source who is part of the group to have said.

The source explained that the main purpose of the meeting was for the newly-inaugurated group to get Alaafin’s blessings and to possibly discuss the issue of the embattled Yoruba Nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, alias Sunday Igboho, who is currently being held and tried in Cotonou, Benin Republic.


The source said, “The Olugbon, a member of the caucus, was the one who booked the appointment, but he said the Alaafin said he didn’t want to see us because we’re notorious critics of the Buhari government.

“He (Alaafin) confirmed the appointment yesterday (Thursday). But when we got there today, he kept us waiting; after a while, he asked to see the Olugbon. He (Alaafin) didn’t come to see us; we were told he said he wouldn’t see us because we are notorious critics of Buhari’s government and that some of us are close to Obasanjo, who is also critical of the government.

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“We were made to wait for about two and a half hours; he gave us an appointment for 11am; we got there at 11am and at about 1.30pm, that was when it was obvious to us that he wasn’t coming (to see us). But he initially asked to see the Olugbon, who went to see him for about an hour. When the Olugbon eventually came back, he said Alaafin would not see us, saying we are a group that is critical of the Buhari government and some of us are loyalists of Obasanjo.”

However, the Media Director to the Alaafin, Bode Durojaye, refuted claims that the monarch refused to grant the group audience because of their political leaning.

He said the reason his principal did not see the group was because they did not have any prior appointment with him.

Durojaye said the Alaafin would be willing to entertain the group if they booked an appointment.

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