Joyful scenes unfold in Oyo town as His Imperial Majesty Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade 1 is crowned as the 46th Alaafin of Oyo, having completed the mandatory traditional rites in the process of becoming the new Alaafin of Oyo.
The new king completed the traditional rites on Saturday at Sango Shrine in Koso and was crowned by Baba-Mogba Koso, Chief Oyedemi Olutunde Oyelowo, after the rituals which enabled him to be crowned and regarded as the new Alaafin of Oyo and Yoruba race at large.
Chief Oyedemi Olutunde Oyelowo, Baba-Mogba Koso Oyo, in an earlier interview with a Standard-Times correspondent, noted that no Oyo King could be crowned without passing through the last process of the traditional rites in the Sango shrine because that is where he will be crowned and pronounce as the new Alaafin of Oyo.
To affirm the importance of the Sango shrine in the new Alaafin coronation, he further revealed that, After crowning the new Alaafin of Oyo in the Sango shrine in Koso, it has immediately become an abomination for the new King to return to Koso after leaving with the crown in his head throughout his lifetime because the crown can only be returned to the Shrine after the passing of the King.
Baba-Mogba Koso Oyo, after a series of rituals for the new King, said, “The rituals we performed overnight for Alaafin Owoade was to pray for the King, the entire town and Yoruba people under his watch. Also, to appeal to the gods to give the new King a long life and make his reign peaceful, successful for all Oyo’s and Yoruba land.”
Meanwhile, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, who appeared to the audience in all-black outfits after receiving traditional prayers from different priests, also danced to the sound of the elephant teeth as part of the rites the King must undergo before being crowned.
According to Baba Muftau Oladoja, ‘afon eyin-erin fun’ba jo’ (the elephant-teeth blower). The (Eyiń-Erin) Elephant-Teeth followed Alaafin Abiodun Atiba (the founder of the current Oyo) from Old-Oyo, and it has since been part of the new Alaafin Oyo coronation rites on the final day the King is to be crowned.
Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, after rigorous rites in the Sango shrine, was crowned and appeared in front of the people of Oyo in all-white outfits with a Sango-drown beaded crown.
However, Professor Wande Abímbọ́lá, in his keynote address, urges all the citizens of Oyo and Yoruba land to continue to be religiously tolerant and embrace peace and unity at all costs and never to allow religious differences to cause disunity among Yoruba people.
The new King brings the good people of Oyo together in joyous celebration and jubilation 3 years after the passing of the late King Lamidi Adeyemi III as he toured Oyo town with the drowned beaded crown.
The people of Oyo town were in celebration mode as a series of activities had been put in place for the coronation ceremony of the new Alaafin starting from 31st of March till 5th of April when the Oyo State governor, Eng. Seyi Makinde will present the staff of the office to the new King according to the Law.
