Alaafin’s Demise: Gbajabiamila’s Installation as Aare Baasofin Called Off
Udora Orizu in Abuja
The installation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, as the Aare Baasofin of Yorubaland (the Supreme Lawmaker of Yorubaland) has been called off.
The cancellation was contained in a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, Lanre Lasisi, on Sunday.
Gbajabiamila was conferred with the traditional title by the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, in September 2021.
An invite of the event that surfaced online showed that the installation is slated to take place on Friday, May 27, 2022, with the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) presidential aspirant, Bola Tinubu, named as the Chairman of the occasion, while the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, was slated to be the Royal Father of the Day.
Lasisi said the event, which was planned to take place on Friday, May 27, 2022, was postponed over the demise of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III.
According to him, the Alaafin died before the distribution of invitation cards for the event.
The statement read in part: “You will recall that his Royal Highness, the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, communicated the conferment of the title of Aare Baasofin of Yoruba Land on Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila through an appointment letter dated September 7, 2021, and presented to the Speaker on Thursday, September 30, 2021, at the National Assembly, Abuja, by members of the Oyomesi Council led by the Bashorun of Oyo Kingdom, High Chief Olayinka Ayoola, who is the traditional Prime Minister of Oyo Kingdom and Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu.
“Upon which the Speaker, in turn, accepted the appointment with gratitude to God. However, due to the tight work schedule of the Speaker, the chieftaincy ceremony could not hold throughout 2021, until this year when the date of May 27, 2022, was agreed with the palace but as God in his majesty will have it, the revered monarch passed on Friday night before the distribution of invitation cards for the event (May Allah grant him Aljanah Firdaus). Naturally, the event can no longer hold as the Speaker, the entire Yoruba race, Nigerians home and abroad mourn the demise of the widely respected Monarch.”
