Late Alaafin was expected to confer title on Gbajabiamila in Tinubu’s presence. Ceremony now cancelled over death.

The Speaker of the House of representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, is supposed to be coronated as the Aare Baasofin Ti Ile Yoruba (Supreme Legislative Guide for the Yoruba Race) on Children’s Day (May 27).

The ceremony, according to an invitation letter making the rounds online, was scheduled to take place inside Alaafin of Oyo’s palace.

And an All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential hopeful Bola Ahmed Tinubu was supposed chair the occasion.

The ceremony would’ve presented Tinubu with an opportunity to use his presence at, and photos from, the event to boost his 2023 political hopes.

But with the Alaafin now dead, the chieftaincy conferment will not go ahead, Gbajabiamila said in a statement on Sunday.

Read the statement below:

Aare Baasofin of Yoruba Land Chieftaincy ceremony

You will recall that his Royal Highness, the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III communicated the conferment of the title of Aare Baasofin of Yoruba Land to Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila through an appointment letter dated September 7, 2021, and presented to the Speaker on Thursday, September 30, 2021, at the National Assembly, Abuja, by members of the Oyomesi Council led by the Bashorun of Oyo Kingdom, High Chief Olayinka Ayoola, who is the traditional Prime Minister of Oyo Kingdom and Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu.

Upon which the Speaker, in turn, accepted the appointment with gratitude to God. However, due to the tight work schedule of the Speaker, the Chieftaincy ceremony could not hold throughout 2021, until this year when the date of May 27, 2022, was agreed with the palace but as God in his majesty will have it the revered monarch passed on Friday night before the distribution of Invitation cards for the event (May Allah grant him Aljanah Firdaus).

Naturally, the event can no longer hold as the Speaker, the entire Yoruba race, Nigerians home and abroad mourn the demise of the widely respected Monarch.