Down from the 119 applications from various families, 86 princes all from the Agunloye ruling house of Oyo have been shortlisted for the vacant stool of the Alaafin of Oyo.
The shortlist of only princes of Agunloye ruling house is in apparent compliance with a letter written by Director, Administration and General Services, Atiba local government area, Mr Ayoola A. A. to the head of princes in Oyo town, High Chief Mukaila Afonja.
The letter, dated August 9, 2022, conveyed the approval of the state government for the commencement of administrative processes to fill the vacant stool.
Citing the existing chief laws of Oyo State and the Alaafin chieftaincy declaration, the letter directed the head of princes in Oyo to liaise with the Agunloye ruling house whereby crown princes shall emerge and dispatch the names to the Oyo Mesi, via the Basorun of Oyo, to screen and prune down the number of candidates.
Nigerian Tribune reports the head of Oyo princes, Afonja, as affirming that the names of the 86 princes, all from the Agunloye family, had been forwarded to the Oyomesi for screening.
Afonja said this move was in alignment with the directive of the state government.
Afonja said the 86 princes will be continuously pruned down by the Oyomesi to a small number when the Ifa oracle will then be consulted to help in recommending the final choice for the Alaafin stool.
A statement by the director of media and publicity to the Alaafin of Oyo Bode Durojaiye said the screening of the shortlisted princes will begin on Monday.
The statement said the princes will be screened 10 per day and would run till the 15th of September.
Before the commencement of screening, next Monday, the shortlisted princes are scheduled to attend a peace meeting at the Agbala Ogun Hall, in the Palace, on Saturday.