Akeem Owoade, the Alaafin-designate’s chief of staff, Rotimi Osuntola, has denied that anything is preventing Owoade from being crowned the 46th Alaafin of Oyo on April 5, 2025.
In addition to establishing a 25-member committee led by Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters Demola Ojo to supervise the planning of the ceremony, the Oyo State Government has already decided to hold the coronation at Olivet Baptist High School in Oyo.
Governor Seyi Makinde had previously given Owoade his staff of office on January 13, 2025. Ismail Owoade and Lukman Gbadegesin, two of his fellow contenders, have persisted in contesting his selection, claiming that the procedure was “illegal, unconstitutional, invalid, and void.”

No Conventional Obstacle to Coronation

According to reports, Owoade’s coronation may be hampered by Oba Joseph Oloyede, the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, whose whereabouts have been unknown since January 2024.

The claim was founded on the idea that before a new Alaafin takes the throne, the Apetumodu must show him a sword of power.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Osuntola refuted this assertion, claiming that there is no historical evidence to substantiate the Apetumodu’s participation as a necessary component of the coronation procedure.

The royal office wants to reassure the Yoruba people and the public that Oba Engr. Akeem Abimbola Owoade 1’s coronation as the 46th Alaafin of Oyo is unhindered, he stated.

“Any claims to the contrary are false and should be ignored, as the required rites are being performed strictly in accordance with the historical traditions of the Oyo Empire.”

Osuntola noted that the Apetumodu has recently been incorporated into the coronation story through oral traditions, but he stressed that historical accounts do not support his inclusion as a required participant.

“It is crucial to make clear that the Alaafin’s installation’s essential elements are still in place, and the coronation will take place on April 5, 2025, as planned,” he continued.

Osuntola insisted, citing historical documents, that the Sword of Oranyan (Ida Oranyan), which is sent from Ile-Ife rather than Ipetumodu, is the most revered component of the Alaafin’s installation.

He stated, “A thorough description of the coronation procedure can be found in The History of the Yorubas (1921).” The Apetumodu of Ipetumodu is not identified in this account as a necessary participant in the ceremonies that give the Alaafin their legitimacy.

The receiving of the Ida Oranyan (Sword of Oranyan), which is customarily sent from Ile-Ife, is the most revered aspect of the Alaafin’s installation, according to Reverend Johnson.