By Desire Emmanuel
Despite the absence of three members of the Oyo State traditional council for their elevation and coronation as traditional rulers on Friday, April 3, the Oyo State government went ahead with the coronation ceremony.
The three council members, Sarafa Alli, Mobolaji Adewoyin and Oyekola Babalola, moved up the ladder of the traditional line to become Ekarun Balogun of Ibadan, Ekerin Balogun of Ibadan and Ekarun Olubadan of Ibadan respectively.
With their moving up the ladder and according to the Ibadan chieftaincy law, they are now entitled to wear beaded crowns and to be referred to as their royal majesties.
However, one of the recipients, Sarafa Alli, is touted in many circles to be picked as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state and with his elevation and his crowning, it may become impossible for him to achieve the dream.
Apparently due to his governorship ambition, the state government announced that the ceremony to make the three of them traditional rulers would be held on Friday, April 3, at Mapo Hall in Ibadan.
This generated reactions and controversies in many circles as many believed the ceremony was an attempt to stop the governorship ambition of Sarafa Alli.
The situation became more dramatic on Friday when the three men did not turn up for the coronation ceremony.
It was gathered that a day before the ceremony, the three of them wrote the governor, giving reasons for their inability to be available for the event.
Sarafa Alli was said to have told the government that he was attending a “national assignment,” hence his inability to be at the coronation venue while Babalola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said he is currently in Canada and so, he would not be able to attend.
The third recipient, Olawoyin, is reported to have said the notice given for his coronation was too short, hence, he would not be able to meet the April 3 date given to him.
However, the ceremony was held on Friday at Mapo Hall despite their absence with the Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Bayo Lawal, presiding. The ceremony was attended by some traditional rulers in the state.
