The Al\u00e1\u00e0fin, before the advent of the colonial lords, held powers that could only be curtailed and questioned by the seven-member Oyo Mesi, the council of kingmakers. The kings of Oyo were given cognomens, which affirmed their mini-omnipotence, like Ik\u00fa B\u00e0b\u00e1 Y\u00e8y\u00e9 and Al\u00e1se \u00e8kej\u00ec \u00f2r\u00ecs\u00e0, both of which considered them as vice-regents of Yoruba gods of creation on earth. Except when the institution of kingmakers intervened, the actions of the Al\u00e1\u00e0fin, either justified or otherwise, were unquestioned and unquestionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The role of the Oyo Mesi in the choice of Prince Owoade has become an issue lately. Immediately after the interment of Al\u00e1\u00e0fin Adeyemi in the traditional kings cemetery in Bara, the contest for succession to the throne of the foremost king in Yorubaland began. Made up of seven principal officers of the state, together the kingmakers are the Electoral Council of the Oyo Kingdom, and are also imbued with legislative powers. Their head is the Bashorun, who also doubles as the Prime Minister. Other members of the Electoral Council are the \u00c0gb\u00e0akin, the S\u00e0m\u00f9, the Al\u00e1pinni, the L\u00e1g\u00f9n\u00e0, the Ak\u00ednik\u00fa, and the Ash\u00edpa. When there is vacancy, the Bas\u00f2run is expected to consult the Ifa oracle for guidance and approval of who the next Al\u00e1\u00e0fin would be. In times past, it was believed that Oyo kings were chosen by the gods. However, the peremptory manner with which kings are chosen in Yorubaland and the fascination of kingmakers with money in the choices have given people a different opinion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So many studies have been embarked upon on Yoruba if\u00e1 divination and its arts. The divination trays have also been subjected to sizable studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this wise, Abimbola has variously propounded and pursued the desirability of the use of If\u00e1 divination poetry and literature as sources of historical evidence, even in a modern age as ours. He theoretically and even practically focuses on If\u00e1 prose, poetry, mythology and divination. Indeed, many studies on the If\u00e1 corpus have submitted that with If\u00e1 divination, there is not only a religious implication but a means of communication between man and the Orishas among the Yoruba people. In fact, studies have posited that If\u00e1 divination has a cultural underpinning for the Yoruba people and is connected to \u00d2r\u00fanm\u00ecl\u00e0, a Yoruba prophet and philosopher, whose teachings are used by kingmakers in the selection of kings in times past.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yemi Olakitan The revered throne of the Alaafin of Oyo, a symbol of Yoruba tradition<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":185,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22177","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n