Ibadan, Ogbomoso Traditional Leaders Oppose Naming Alaafin as Permanent Chair of Oyo Obas Council
Traditional rulers and influential stakeholders from Ibadanland and Ogbomosoland have firmly rejected a proposed amendment by the Oyo State House of Assembly seeking to appoint the Alaafin of Oyo as the permanent chairman of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
In a joint statement issued on Monday in Ibadan, the opposition was voiced by a coalition including Mogajis, Baales, monarchs, the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), the Ibadan Compounds Peace Initiative (ICPI), notable Ibadan sons and daughters, as well as Mogajis from the Soun Ruling Houses in Ogbomoso.
The controversial bill, which passed second reading in the House last Thursday under the leadership of Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin, has been forwarded to the Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters for further consideration.
If passed, it would make the Alaafin the permanent presiding authority over the council.
In the Alaafin’s absence, the Olubadan would chair meetings, and if both are unavailable, the Soun of Ogbomoso would assume the role.
However, traditional leaders argue that this move undermines long-standing customs and disrupts the balance among royal institutions across the state.
They insist that the council’s chairmanship has historically rotated among the monarchs and should continue to do so to preserve fairness and equity.
President of the Ibadan Mogajis, Asimiyu Ariori, and ICPI Coordinator, Nurudeen Akinade, emphasized that their objection is not based on personal grievances but rather on the need to protect historical traditions and maintain harmony in Oyo State.
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They cautioned the lawmakers against sowing discord and urged them to preserve the rotational system of leadership. “Our respect for the late Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, stemmed from his respectful relationship with Ibadan’s traditional institutions,” they noted. “He reigned for over five decades without disregarding other monarchs. We urge the current Alaafin to follow that example and tread carefully.”
