The Olugbon of Orile-Igbo, Oba Francis Olusola Alao has expressed his difference to the ammendment of the Council of Obas and Chiefs bill by the Oyo State House of Assembly describing it as “a faulty political document whose consideration should be halted to give room for consultations.”
In a statement issued by the Olugbon’s Media Consultant, Mr Bisi Oladele, the monarch said, “The bill is faulty and defective because there was no adequate consultation by House of Assembly, neither was there public hearing or enquiry before it was presented and considered.”
He added, “The bill seeks to make the Alaafin of Oyo the permanent chairman and the Olubadan of Ibadan and Soun of Ogbomoso co-chairmen. The three monarchs will be concurrent chairmen.
“The amendment also listed the 10 Ibadan high chiefs who are members of the Olubadan-In-Council, as members of the Council. This is an aberration in culture and tradition.”
The Olugbon also stated that, “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.
“In the proposed amendment, the law further cements Ibadans’ dominance on 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 the governors since 1999 with the exception of the late Adebayo Alao-Akala.”
While he acknowledged the need for the return of the Council, Oba Alao further said, “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.”
He urged “the lawmakers and other stakeholders to suspend work on the bill and consult widely to avoid passing a bill that will breed crisis among monarchs in Oyo State.”
The Olugbon observed the claim of historical significance of Ogbomoso by mogajis of the town in their opposition to the bill, believing that if history alone is the factor of decision-making on the constitution of the council’s leadership, he will 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 bore border 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 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.
“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.
“The history of British empire is a lesson for the world. The country colonized a quarter of the entire world and ruled for 100 years. But its former colony, the United States, is today, better placed. Yet, the US and all former colonies still accord the British monarchy honour and respect.
“Our history, culture and tradition must be upheld and respected in all we do because our activities today are documented as history for future generations,” he submitted.
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