The Alaafin-elect, Ọmọ’ba Abimbola Ọ̀wọ̀adé has reportedly suspended the Yorùbá traditional rites of Ipebi to travel to Canada, where he was based before his selection as the 45th Aláàfin Òyó. According to those who claim to know, Prince Ọ̀wọ̀adé left gor Canada almost immediately after receiving the staff of office and certificate from the state governor Engr. Seyi Makinde. They told TheWest the Aláàfin-elect went to Canada to resign from his workplace and disengage from other private activities there.
Reactions have however continued to trai the move by Prince Ọ̀wọ̀adé as many criticised him for abandoning the Ipebi rites for private business.
A commentator on Yoruba traditions and the Managing Director of Rockville Agency Services, Adedamola Adetayo has risen in defense of the Aláàfin-elect.
Writing on his Facebook wall, Adebayo said: “Up till this day, Abimbola Ọ̀wọ̀adé is still a PRINCE, Omo Oba. He is also Aláàfin-Elect. He is not Aláàfin yet.
“He has his life still with him and he can infact still live ordinarily like every other man anywhere in the world, it is at his discretion.
“I understand he has travelled to Canada and the enemies of Yoruba land have resumed their mischief again. They said he abandoned Ìpèbí.
“Has he resumed the Ìpèbí rites ni?
“My understanding, and which I believe is true, is that the Ìpèbí Rites of Ascension for Aláàfin is for a duration of ONE MONTH.
“That is when he becomes Aláàfin, official ceremony or not.
“He will normally be crowned at a ceremony immediately after he emerges from Ìpèbi and that day has been fixed for 4th APRIL 2025.
“By implication he will only START the Ìpèbí rights of ascension at a date in the LAST WEEK OF FEBRUARY OR FIRST WEEK OF MARCH 2025.
“This is still JANUARY 2025. He has at least SIX (6) WEEKS to live his normal life in quietude anywhere he chooses to live it.
“The man has been living in Canada for a long time and all he has is still in that country. It is from there that he was summoned overnight to report for the matter of Aláàfin.
“He came.
“He has done the needful which is to get the official Government papers and presenting himself to Oyo and Yoruba People
“That is all he needed to do.
“He still has a great deal of his life to tidy up in Canada.
“He has jobs to resign from, shares to transfer, properties to sell off, bank accounts to close, bills to settle, some things to tie in Trusts and many other things he must put in place.
“Do these wicked people expect him to do such runs as Aláàfin, carrying Àgbada, beads and Irukere upandan offices in Canada or do they expect him to leave strings of loose ends in that country?
“Without holding brief for him I bet he went to that country to do these things and he can jolly well be moving around in shirts and Jean trousers while on it.
“He has about SIX WEEKS to live his life and he can jolly well take maximum advantage of that time to do what pleases his soul.
“I trust him to avoid the cameras of wicked people in these six weeks though.
“You won’t catch him in club houses even if he chose to go there.” Adetayo wrote
