SPOTTED: Owoade Was Gov. Makinde’s Supporter On Social Media Before He Became Alaafin

Abimbola Akeem Owoade, a mechanical engineer and the new Alaafin of Oyo, received his staff of office from Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde on Monday.

The governor announced on Friday that his decision to appoint Owoade was arrived at “after thorough consultations and divination…recommended by the Oyomesi”.

Five of the seven-member Oyomesi, a council of kingmakers in the ancient town, disputed this claim.

Nevertheless, FIJ observed that Owoade became a strong supporter and defender of the governor’s policies at least on social media after the death of former Alaafin Lamidi Adeyemi III.

Owoade has been commenting on the governor’s posts on LinkedIn for about three years, a period which coincides with the death of his predecessor and the commencement of a selection process to fill the vacant throne.

“I CAN’T WAIT FOR YOUR SECOND TERM”

A few months after the death of Adeyemi III, the Oyomesi began consultation to elect his successor. By September 2022, 86 contenders who had expressed interest in the stool had been screened.

All of this happened during Makinde’s first tenure as governor.
Watchers of the event and those with a vested interest in the process were hopeful that the governor would make a decision in his first term so as not to allow the traditional stool to exist for years without an occupant but he never did. This made them look forward to his second term.

Owoade particularly wrote that he was eager to see the governor win his re-election campaign because it was “well-deserved”.

On October 21, Makinde posted on LinkedIn that he had unveiled a 480-member Amotekun Forest Rangers, a team tasked to protect farms and natural resources to root out illegal activities in the state.

Commenting under that post, Owoade wrote, “Well done, Your Excellency. My mind raced to the use of solar camera to complement their efforts. They sometimes do not need to comb the bushes all the time. Instead, they just need to watch the video camera to locate the hoodlums out there.”

When Makinde visited Psaltry International Company Limited, a cassava processing firm, on October 22, Owoade praised him.

“The governor has never been a let down in his doings. Getting to know how the investors are fairing is part of the job. Kudos to you,” he wrote.

On May 3, the governor wrote about his visit to London where he signed an investment deal with Shell Nigeria, Owoade expressed how proud he was of the governor, saying Nigeria would be a better place if it had 100 Makindes.

“I have said it many times and I am still saying it again. Nigeria will be better if we have 100s of Governor Seyi Makinde as leaders. I am proud of you. Thanks for the excellent work,” the new Alaafin, then a prince, commented.

“May the almighty God continue to be with you. He is just what Nigeria needs; a visionary leader with good developmental skills. Please keep it up.”

Upon his successful second term election, Makinde appreciated the Oyo electorate.

Commenting, Olanrewaju Usman, a LinkedIn user, urged the governor to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) because “you are a superman”.

Usman’s comment caught Owoade’s attention and he responded, “As you rightly said, it was a deserved win. His re-election gave the attestation that the masses trust and have confidence in him. If no one is seeing what I am seeing, I can see that he is going places. Please come back in 4 years and be our president…. I regard him as God-loving one with a good mind to serve his people.”

Before the governor won his re-election, Owoade had been wishing him success. On January 17, 2023, Makinde posted about his visit to the Araromi Auto Spare Parts Market to sympathise with shopowners who lost properties to a fire incident. In his reaction to this post, Owoade simply wrote, “Can’t wait to see you coming back for the second term. Well deserved.”

Makinde witnessed the Olympic Eagles play against Tanzania at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan on October 29, 2022.

Solomon Olaleye, a follower of the governor on LinkedIn, then commented under the governor’s post about the match. Olaleye said he looked forward to seeing Ibadan host more international sporting events.

Owoade then responded to Olaleye, commenting that he hoped the people of the state would vote for him again. “There is no doubt that our governor is doing very well. Some of the projects he is embarking on tell it all. I think the people of Oyo State should give him a second chance to rule. Well deserved,” Owoade’s comment read.

On Monday, Makinde made a point to emphasise that he had never met or spoken with Owoade until Sunday.

The governor said that the Alaafin stool was not for sale.