The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, has firmly denied reports that he was consulted or gave his approval for a rotational chairmanship system for the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
This rebuttal was issued in a statement by the Alaafin’s Chief Press Secretary, Bode Durojaiye, directly challenging comments attributed to Governor Seyi Makinde.
The governor had been quoted stating he consulted the Alaafin, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, and the Soun of Ogbomoso before inaugurating former governor Rashidi Ladoja as the council’s chairman.
The palace’s statement clarified that no such consultation ever occurred. “At no time did His Imperial Majesty, the Alaafin of Oyo, hold any meeting with the Governor or with any of the two traditional rulers mentioned on this matter,” it declared.
It further emphasized that the Alaafin neither approved nor endorsed the concept of a rotational chairmanship.
“The Alaafin did not tell the Governor nor make any categorical statement endorsing rotational chairmanship among the three traditional rulers in the state,” the statement added.
Reaffirming a settled position, the palace noted that the Alaafin’s stance, reflecting that of the Oyo community, had already been formally communicated to the state government through a memorandum submitted by the Oyo Council of Elders.
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
