The head of princes of Oyo town, High Chief Mukaila Afonja, also referred to as Baba Iyaji,
has explained the criteria that will be used for the selection of new Alaafin of Oyo.
Though Baba Iyaji didn’t give a specific commencement date of the screening exercise but said, 119 princes from various royal families applied at the close of application on July 15, added that, Oyomesi (kingmakers) are art to begin the screening of persons that applied to fill the vacant stool.
He affirmed that the Oyomesi had begun working on the applications, with the screening to take the form of the applicants being invited either in fives or tens.
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Explaining the screening sessions, it is expected that the applicants will be scrutinised along the line of their educational qualification, schools attended, age, vision, aim and objectives for Oyo town, if they emerge.
In addition, the Oyomesi will also be looking out for the prospective Alaafin to have a rich sense of history, be educated, experienced, healthy, and have a good command of both English and Yoruba.
In the upcoming weeks, it’s anticipated that several steps of screening will take place with the goal of reducing the pool of candidates to a select few before the oracle is consulted for guidance on choosing the successor to the late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi.
