The Mogajis of the Soun Ruling Houses of Ogbomoso have attacked the planned Amendment Bill to the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs (2025) before the Oyo State House of Assembly that proposes to make the Alaafin of Oyo the Permanent Chairman of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
A statement signed by the five Mogajis: Prince Olawuyi Itabiyi (Aburumaku), Prince Sikiru Oyeyiola (Gbagun), Prince Amos Olawole Olaoye (Laoye), Prince Samuel Oyebamiji Oyedeji (Bolanta) and Prince Stephen Ilufoye Layode (Odunaro), says the move is an affront to history.
You will Recall that the Oyo State House of Assembly is considering a bill, Council of Obas and Chiefs (Further Amendments) Bill, 2025, to confer Alaafin with the permanent Chairman of Council.
The proposed legislation aspires to further reaffirm and institutionalize the Alaafin of Oyo as the permanent authority and presiding Chairman of the Council of Obas and Chiefs, effectively abolishing the rotational chairmanship system among traditional rulers in the state.
The Council of Obas and Chiefs Law, Cap. 37, Laws of Oyo State, 2000, initially placed the Alaafin of Oyo as the permanent chairman, giving him the authority to convene and preside over meetings, while directing council affairs before it was amended.
However the Mogajis of the Soun Ruling Houses had kiicked against the proposal warning it would be a design for disaster.
They noted that the often claimed history of Oyo supremacy ended in 1837 when Oyo – Ile was destroyed by the invading Fulani armies.
They stressed a new history began thereafter emphasizing that it is only on the basis of the new history that the hierarchical order can be structured.
This is as they cited what they described as the significant contributions of Ogbomoso to the sustenance and evolution of the Yoruba country over the years wondering why such should be sacrificed.
“We frown and strongly kick against the proposed Amendment Bill on the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs by the Oyo State uHouse of Assembly that seeks to make the Alaafin the permanent chairman of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs. The proposal disregards the current history,” the statement reads.
“Oyo had a robust history cherished by all no doubt about that. But it’s unfortunate that such trajectory ended with the destruction of Oyo-Ile by the invading Fulani warriors in 1837. A new history commenced thereafter which saw other kingdoms rising to power and importance and we cannot disregard that. That new history sisbsits till today and the hierarchy of traditional rulers must be based on the new history. It will be an affront to do otherwise.”
They asserted that the power and authorities of Oyo ended at Oyo-Ile founded by Alaafin Oranmiyan averring it’s beyond sentiment.
“Sentiment cannot override sense. Sentiment cannot be brought into the matter. The present Oyo founded in 1875 by Prince Atiba is different, that is the reality though may be unpalatable. The new Oyo kingdom in fact has the imprimatur of Ogbomoso, its site originally belonged to people of Ogbomoso extraction, and that is the Oja lineage of Oke-Ogede, Okelerin, Ogbomoso. We all know how Prince Atiba surreptitiously took over the land.
“It’s also recollected how Ooni then constantly appealed to Ogbomoso and Ibadan to secure a new site for the Oyos after the fall of Oyo-Ile and were moving from one place to another in the Oke-Ogun axis.
Moreover Ogbomoso protected the fledgling settlement that became today’s Oyo in the northern hemisphere. So, old Oyo Empire is not the Oyo Kingdom. The powers and authorities of old Oyo Empire are buried at Katunga. We are all proud of its glorious era.”
To prove the above assertion, the Mogajis further state, “The present Oyo lost land dispute cases to Aawe town at its borders, and a longstanding land dispute with Ogbomoso ended with the Supreme Court delivering judgement in favour of Ogbomoso against Oyo in 1984, giving vast swathes of lands to Ogbomoso.”
“And if Alaafin cannot exercise control over Ilorin today how can he lord it over Ogbomoso that stopped the Fulani who had their base at Ilorin from penetrating Yorubaland through its route and helping significantly to halt their inordinate ambition to take over the whole of Yorubaland. Ilorin to Ogbomoso to Oyo is a direct route but Ogbomoso stood like the famed Rock of Gibraltar to thwart further attacks on Oyo Atiba.
“Oyo Oranmiyan was supreme not Oyo Atiba where they are even a tenant. This may sound hurtful but it is the fact. Our forefathers too achieved prominence and handed over a great kingdom to us and we won’t see it eroded on the altar of sentiment. We have no apology.
“These are facts people don’t know or prefer to gloss over. In addition, Ogbomoso through its many illustrious sons and daughters now and then have contributed immensely to the evolution of Yorubaland and Nigeria in diverse ways. To start to mention names will be cumbersome but it’s undeniable. Talk of population, size and spread, Ogbomoso ranks prominently, so we have a just cause.”
They maintain their stand as rotational chairmanship of the Council of Obas and Chiefs, saying the Soun had served in the position before during the reign of late Oba (Dr) Oladunni Oyewumi Ajagungbade III JP CON CFR and would take the role again. “So, it’s not a new thing or unprecedented. We reiterate that we stand by ROTATIONAL CHAIRMANSHIP. We advise the Oyo State House of Assembly to act in consonance with the subsisting history,” they concluded.
