Oyo House of Assembly passes chieftaincy amendment bill

Soun-in-Council, CCIP warn against amendment
Oyo State House of Assembly, yesterday, passed a bill to amend the Chieftaincy Law, Cap 28, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000, notwithstanding that some prominent traditional leaders had kicked against it.

The passage followed the presentation of the report of the House Committee on Local Government and State Honors.

Speaker of the Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, while announcing the passage of the amendment, commended the committee for a thorough job.

Ogundoyin described the amendment as a good development, which will give the governor discretionary power in respect of chieftaincy holders that are entitled to wear beaded crowns.

MEANWHILE, the Soun-in-Council, the traditional institution in Ogbomosoland, had earlier warned against the proposed amendment of the law, saying it is a deliberate attempt to tamper with cherished tradition among the Yoruba race.

It said that the proposed amendment would make the governor assume untamable power that could be perverted.

In a letter dated May 19, 2023 and signed by the Areago of Ogbomosoland, High Chief Samuel Sobalaje Otolorin, and addressed to the governor, the council insisted that such amendment is a recipe for disaster in the state.

Also, Chairman, Central Council of Ibadan Professionals (CCIP), Prof. Mufutau Adeniyi Adebowale, warned the governor against seeking enactment of authority to unilaterally grant beaded crown to Obas.

In a letter, yesterday, he stated: “We warn those behind the move, manipulating him (Governor Makinde), to stop it in the interest of peace. We don’t want anarchy.

“The Ibadan governing body comprises top high chiefs from four traditional streams, namely: The military, civilian, Seriki and the Iyalode. The Olubadan is picked from only the military and civilian lines. Seriki line and Iyalode (women) line are powerful members of the Olubadan-in-Council but they are not to produce future Olubadan. We have been practising this system for over 300 years now. All Yoruba people appreciate Ibadan system of Obaship.

“We the Ibadan indigenes, Central Council of Ibadan Profession and people of Oyo State dissociate from those demanding unilateral authority for Oyo governors to grant crowns. We want to avoid serious anarchy.”