The Palace of the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon has expressed strong reservations over the Council of Obas and Chiefs (Further Amendment) Bill 2025 currently before the Oyo State House of Assembly.
Describing the Bill as a “faulty political document,” the Palace, in a release issued by the media consultant to Olugbon, Bisi Oladele, criticized the lack of adequate consultation with traditional rulers and stakeholders, as well as the absence of a public hearing before its presentation.
The Bill seeks to make the Alaafin of Oyo the permanent chairman and the Olubadan of Ibadan and Soun of Ogbomoso co-chairmen as the three traditional rulers 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. 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 Palace of Orile-Igbon further stated in the release.
It stated that the actions on the Bill so far had clearly ignored the relevance of traditional rulers in Oyo State, declaring that “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 of Ibadan has produced the governors since 1999, with the exception of the late Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala who was from Ogbomoso.
“While there is 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.”
The Olugbon therefore 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 traditional rulers in Oyo State.
Meanwhile, the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Olushola Alao, has picked holes in the claim of historical significance of Ogbomoso by mogajis of the town in their opposition to proposed amendment to the Council of Obas and Chiefs Bill.
Oba Alao averred that, should history be the singular factor in deciding the constitution of the leadership of the Council, the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon 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 the Olugbon 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 colonised 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,” the Olugbon concluded.
