Bill seeking to make Alaafin of Oyo the permanent chairman of the Oyo State Council of Obas has suffered heavy pushback from traditional leaders, stakeholders and ruling houses in Ibadan and Ogbomosho.
The bill which has passed second reading in the Oyo State House of Assembly and has proceeded to the committee stage, seeks to amend the existing chieftaincy law to make the Alaafin the presiding authority in the comity of Oyo State traditional rulers.
On the flip side, the bill provided that in the absence of the Alaafin, the Olubadan would preside; and in the absence of both monarchs, the Soun of Ogbomosho would preside.
Galvanising opposition to the bill vide a statement signed and issued in Ibadan on Monday, the Mogajis, Baales, monarchs, the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, the Ibadan Compounds Peace Initiative, prominent sons and daughters of Ibadanland, and Mogajis from the Soun Ruling Houses of Ogbomoso rejected the bill outrightly, describing it as a distortion of history and a brazen affront to other revered royal stools.
“The chairmanship of the council has always been rotational and should remain so to reflect fairness and equity among all royal stools in the state,” the statement emphasised.
On their parts, President of the Ibadan Mogajis, Asimiyu Ariori, and ICPI Coordinator, Nurudeen Akinade, dispelled notions that their opposition might be premised on personal and clannish interests.
They said such insinuation is at variance with the truth, insisting that their rejection of the bill is informed by deference to history and a desire to ensure unity and peace across the state.
They cautioned the House not to drag the traditional institution into politicking, thereby causing avoidable tensions,
urging lawmakers to respect tradition and uphold the rotational leadership model for the Council of Obas and Chiefs.
“The respect we have for the immediate past Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, was because of his relationship with the traditional institutions and some distinguished personalities in Ibadanland,” they said.“We respected and honoured Oba Adeyemi’s age and wisdom. He spent over 50 years on the throne before his demise, yet he never disrespected the Ibadan people. The current Alaafin should tread softly.”
