Afijio Local Government Traditional Council has tackled the passage of the Council of Obas and Chiefs Amended Bill by the Oyo State House of Assembly, and, thereby appealing to the State governor, Engr Seyi Makinde’ not to give his assent to it in order to engender justice, equity and fair play.
The Council had in a letter signed by its Solicitor and Advocate, Olajide Olanipekun, submitted that the call became imperative as a result of the noticeable flaws in the bill.
It argued that the bill failed to mention which local government area each member of the Council represents, describing it as a monumental flaw that is not recognized in the face of the law.
It noted that while monarchs like the Alaafin of Oyo and Olubadan of Ibadan represent/Chair more than one Local Governments Traditional Council), some local government areas are being shortchanged.
The bill acknowledges the representation of each local government area; however, this is not the case for Afijio Local Government.
It contends that recognizing Akibio of Ilora as a permanent member of the Council of Obas violates the historical rotational traditions upheld among the Obas in Afijio Local Government.
The Chairmanship position of Afijio LGTC is being rotated among Onfiditi of Fiditi, Amorin of Akinmorin, Akibio of Ilora, Alaawe of Aawe, Onimini of Mini, Oniware of Aware and Baale of Jobele.
It added that Akibio of Ilora is not Permanent Chairman of the Council, hence the need for the bill to recognize other Obas and allow the local government representation in the Council to be rotated among all the Obas.
It argued, “The mention of Akibio of llora as a member of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs in the newly passed Bill cannot cure the fatal historical error in the said Bill because the Akibio of llora is not the permanent Chairman or even the incumbent Chairman of AFJIO Local Government.
“Traditional Council thereby, the Akibio cannot solely fill the slot of AFIJIO which by Law should be rotated among Onifiditi of Fiditi, Akibio of llora, Alaawe of Awe, Onimini of Imini, Oniware of Iware or Baale Jobele and Amorin of Akinmorin.
“The omission of the statutory representative of AFlJIO Local Government Traditional Council Chairman from being a member of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs is one of many grounds upon which the newly passed Bill may be set aside by Court of competent jurisdiction if peradventure, it becomes Law upon the assent of Your Excellency on two years basis.
“We urge Your Excellency to send the Bill back to the House of Assembly for reenactment by correcting numerous historical anomalies which the Bill contained especially the omission of AFIJIO Local Government Traditional Council Chairman which should be on two years rotational basis among the principal towns that make up AFIJIO Local Government”.
