A civil servant, Prince Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye emerged on Friday as the new Olowo of Owo, Ondo State.
He would succeed Oba Victor Folagbade Olateru-Olagbegi, who passed on in April 2019.
Ogunoye, who would be the 32nd Olowo, scored the highest vote cast out of the 18 princes who contested for the stool in an election conducted by the kingmakers.
He emerged after scoring 14 votes out of 15 votes of the kingmakers, in the election held at the Olowo palace in Owo.
Speaking after the exercise, the Olowo-elect promised to ensure peace reigns in the town.
Until his election, he was the Director of Finance and Administration of the Government House and Protocol in the Ondo State Civil Service.
Addressing the gathering, the President of the Council of Senior Omolowos, the kingmakers, and the Ojomo Oluda of Ijebu Owo, Oba Kofoworola Oladoyinbo, commended the selection process, and urged other contestants to join hands with the Olowo-elect in moving the town forward.
He appealed to the Olowo-elect to be magnanimous in victory and extend hands of fellowship to other contestants, who he said are princes of Owoland.
The contesting princes from the Ogunoye royal lineage include Akinola Olawamide, Philip Adegoke Adegbite, Olatunde Aragun, Ademola Adekolaajo, Olarenwaju Adelotan, Ajibade Gbadegesin, Sunday Abimbola Olatunde Aragun, Olugbemiga Peter and Oluduro Micheal Adegboyega.
Other Ogunoye princes were Emmanuel Ademola, Adegboyega Ajibola, Victor, Monday Ogundeji and Olanrewaju Bernard.
From the Olateru- Olagbegi royal lineage were Solomon Olusegun Mowasola, Adesuyi Olateru- Olagbegi and Olaleke Olateru Olagbegi.
Also from the Ajike royal lineage were Olatunbosun Olayemi and Charles Adedayo.
