Two lawmakers walked out on Tuesday during a session where the Oyo State House of Assembly received the amended report of its committee. The report was related to a review of the Council of Obas and Chiefs.

Due to significant public criticism regarding the proposed amendment, the Assembly decided to revert to a rotational chairmanship among the Alaafin of Oyo, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, and the Soun of Ogbomoso.

The bill was officially passed during the plenary session. This followed the presentation of the report by the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters and State Honours, delivered by its Vice Chairman, Bamidele Adeola.

The Assembly formally resolved that “the chairmanship position should be rotated among the Alaafin of Oyo, the Olubadan of Ibadanland and the Soun of Ogbomosoland.” This decision clarifies the new structure of the council’s leadership.

The bill, which had its second reading last Thursday on the floor of the House, sparked “heated arguments” among traditional rulers and stakeholders across the state.

Initially, the bill proposed making the Alaafin the permanent chairman. The Olubadan and Soun were to serve as concurrent chairmen, in that order of ranking, during the Alaafin’s absence.

However, the Olubadan and Soun “insisted on maintaining rotational chairmanship” with the Alaafin. They urged the Assembly to reverse its earlier decision, highlighting their strong preference for shared leadership.

It was gathered that the committee, in its report, proposed that the permanent chairmanship clause in the bill should be replaced with a rotational chairmanship among the Alaafin, the Olubadan and the Soun on a two-year term.

The bill also struck out the permanent presiding officer role initially vested in the Alaafin.

The committee also recommended that the 10 beaded crown-wearing Ibadan obas, ⁠Samu and Agbakin be included as members of the Council of Obas and Chiefs.

Some traditional rulers in the state, however, criticised the Assembly for expanding the council to include the 10 Ibadan obas.

While some stakeholders from Ibadanland and Ogbomosoland vilified the bill, others saw it as a welcome development.

Kicking against the rotational clause, the lawmakers representing Oyo East and Atiba constituencies, Olorunpoto Rahman and Gbenga Oyekola, respectively, walked out while the House was deliberating on the recommendation of the committee.

In a sideline interview with newsmen, Rahman said, “We should be guided by the truth in whatever law we make. Everyone knows the position of the Alaafin. We are not out of touch with history.

“Alaafin is a paramount ruler. We should not make a law for political convenience. We should make a law that can stand the test of time. We should make a law that will align with history.

“We are not satisfied with the process by the committee. There was neither a public hearing nor stakeholder engagement. There is no instance where they invited anyone from Oyo to speak on this bill. I have serious issues with that.”

The Palace of the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon also viewed the Council of Obas and Chiefs (further amendment) Bill 2025 as a faulty political document whose consideration should be halted to give room for consultations.

The palace, in a statement by the Media Consultant to Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Bisi Oladele, described the bill as faulty, decrying inadequate consultation by the Assembly.

“For such an important bill that seeks to revive and do justice to the council of obas and chiefs, the key stakeholders are the traditional rulers, who should have been adequately consulted before it was packaged. Besides, there should be a public hearing on the proposal.

“The actions on the bill so far clearly ignored the relevance of traditional rulers in Oyo State. It is openly based on political patronage,” the statement stated.

It lamented that the amendment further cemented Ibadans’ dominance over indigenes from other parts of the state.

“Should the bill be passed, indigenes of Oyo, Ogbomoso, Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa zones will again become second-class indigenes in their own state, just as Ibadan indigenes have been dominating other parts of the state politically.

“The city has produced governors since 1999, except for the late Adebayo Alao-Akala.

“While there is a need for the council to be revived and strengthened, it should not be skewed in favour of a particular zone to further dominate other zones.

“It should reflect fairness, justice, equity, and possess the capacity to promote peace among traditional rulers in the state,” it added.

The Olugbon, Oba Francis Alao, urged the lawmakers and other stakeholders to suspend work on the bill and consult widely to avoid passing a bill that would breed crisis among monarchs in the state.

He also debunked the claim of historical significance of Ogbomoso by the mogajis of the town in their opposition to the bill.

Oba Alao noted that should history alone be the factor of decision-making concerning the constitution of the council’s leadership, the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon would be ahead of the Soun of Ogbomoso.

“We should not forget that the current palace of the Soun of Ogbomoso sits on the land that falls within Olugbon’s kingdom.

“Orile-Igbon borders with Ijeru, which is also more ancient than Ogbomoso.

“But demography has kept Ogbomoso in a better standing than other towns and communities in the zone.

“This is the reality all traditional rulers in the Ogbomoso zone accepted, and this accounts for why more ancient towns in the zone do not contend with the status accorded Soun in the Obas Council. We understand it as good for administrative and political convenience,” he added.

Oba Alao said Alaafin ran a huge kingdom with many other kingdoms under it, and believed Alaafin deserved the permanent chairmanship.

“Where is Soun’s kingdom? Where is Olubadan’s kingdom? Alaafin ran a huge kingdom with many other kingdoms under it.

“But we are putting the past behind us because the world is dynamic. Yet the honour must be there for the thrones that deserve it,” he added.

A group, the Ebedi Frontliners, Iseyin, has called on the Oyo State Government to make the Aseyin of Iseyin a co-chairman in the bill.

This was contained in a statement released by its Public Relations Officer, Segun Fasasi, in Ibadan, on Tuesday.

Ebedi Frontliners, in a statement, said, “Alaafin is representing the interests of four local government areas in Oyo town, Soun of Ogbomoso represents the interests of five local government areas while Olubadan represents the interests of 11 local government areas, leaving Oke-Ogun area with 10 local government areas with no co-chairmanship candidate.”

The group, however, lauded Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration for what it called “the democratisation of the state’s chieftaincy laws,” saying the legislative exercise would give more roles to the traditional rulers.

Credit: The Punch

Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has stated that his sole interest lies in forming a coalition against “bad governance.” This clarifies his stance amidst ongoing political discussions.

Obi made these remarks on Monday during a visit to Duke Akamisoko, the bishop of the Anglican diocese of Kubwa in Abuja. This visit provided a platform for him to address current political speculations.

“The only coalition I am interested in is the one against hunger, poverty, and the bad state of healthcare and education in the country. I am not desperate for any position,” Channels TV quoted Obi as saying. This quote directly conveys Obi’s focus on addressing critical national issues rather than seeking political office.

Recently, discussions about forming a coalition to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC) for federal control have become prominent in mainstream political discourse. This indicates a growing movement among opposition parties.

Opposition politicians have also been conducting a series of “strategic meetings” to bring this plan to fruition. These meetings suggest coordinated efforts to form a unified front against the ruling party.

His comments are made in response to reports suggesting an alleged agreement with Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate. These reports claim Obi would serve as Atiku’s running mate in the next general elections.

The report also claimed that Atiku had purportedly agreed to serve for just one term and was open to formalizing this agreement in writing. This detail adds a layer of complexity to the alleged agreement.

However, Obi dismissed the reports. He stated that those making such claims were promoting “selfish political interests” that do not benefit the country.

The former Anambra governor also made a donation to a school project in the diocese. This act of philanthropy occurred during his visit.

Traditional leaders and important figures from Ibadanland and Ogbomosoland have strongly objected to a proposed legal change by the Oyo State House of Assembly. This amendment aims to make the Alaafin of Oyo the permanent chairman of the state’s Council of Obas and Chiefs.

This opposition was formally expressed in a joint statement issued on Monday in Ibadan. The statement was signed by Mogajis, Baales, monarchs, the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, the Ibadan Compounds Peace Initiative, prominent individuals from Ibadanland, and Mogajis from the Soun Ruling Houses of Ogbomoso.

The bill intended to modify the chieftaincy law, which would establish the Alaafin as the permanent chairman of the council, successfully passed its second reading in the Oyo State House of Assembly last Thursday. This indicates the bill has progressed through an initial stage of legislative consideration.

The legislative session during which the bill was discussed was presided over by the Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin. Following the second reading, “the bill was subsequently referred to the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters for further scrutiny.” This referral signifies the next step in the legislative process, involving a more detailed examination of the proposed amendment.

The bill proposes to make the Alaafin the “presiding authority of the Oyo State Council of Obas.” This would grant the Alaafin a central and permanent leadership role within the council of traditional rulers.

The bill further suggests that if the Alaafin is absent, the Olubadan of Ibadanland would preside over the council. Additionally, if both the Alaafin and the Olubadan are absent, the Soun of Ogbomoso would assume the chairmanship. This outlines a proposed hierarchy for presiding over the council in different scenarios.

However, the traditional leaders and stakeholders have condemned the proposed amendment. They describe it as “a distortion of historical tradition and an affront to other royal institutions in the state.” This strong criticism highlights their deep concern about the potential impact of the bill.

“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 emphasized. This quote articulates the core of their opposition, stressing the importance of maintaining a rotational leadership to ensure equal representation.

The President of the Ibadan Mogajis, Asimiyu Ariori, and the ICPI Coordinator, Nurudeen Akinade, reiterated that their opposition was not based on personal gain. Instead, they stated it is “rooted in historical precedent and a desire to ensure unity and peace across the state.” This emphasizes the principles guiding their stance.

They cautioned the House against creating “unnecessary tension,” urging lawmakers to “respect tradition and uphold the rotational leadership model for the Council of Obas and Chiefs.” This plea calls for the preservation of existing customs and the avoidance of actions that could disrupt harmony.

“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.”