Traditional leaders and stakeholders from Ibadanland and Ogbomosoland on Monday frowned upon a proposed amendment by the Oyo State House of Assembly seeking to make the Alaafin of Oyo the permanent Chairman of the State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
This was contained in a statement jointly signed by the Mogajis, Baales, monarchs, the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, the Ibadan Compounds Peace Initiative, and prominent sons and daughters of Ibadanland, along with the Mogajis of the Soun Ruling Houses of Ogbomoso, in Ibadan, the state capital.
The House, presided over by Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin, passed the amendment bill to make Alaafin a permanent council chairman during the second reading on Thursday.
The House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters has received the bill for further review.
According to the bill, the amendment presents the Alaafin as the presiding authority, while in his absence, the Olubadan of Ibadanland shall preside. If the Alaafin and Olubadan are absent, the Soun of Ogbomoso shall preside as the council’s Chairman.
However, on Monday, traditional leaders and stakeholders from Ibadanland and Ogbomosoland condemned the proposed amendment, describing it as a distortion of historical tradition and an affront to other traditional institutions in the state.
They emphasised that designating Alaafin as a permanent chairman would disregard the historical development of the Yoruba traditional structure, particularly after the downfall of the Oyo Empire in 1837.
“History clearly shows that Oyo’s supremacy ended with the Fulani invasion’s destruction of Oyo-Ile. A new historical order emerged, with other Yoruba towns like Ogbomoso and Ibadan gaining prominence,” they noted.
The mogajis highlighted that the current Oyo Kingdom, established in 1875 by Prince Atiba, differs from the original Oyo Empire ruled by Alaafin Oranmiyan. They also reminded us that Ogbomoso and Ibadan historically provided refuge to migrating Oyos, with Ogbomoso playing a crucial role in halting the Fulani advance into core Yoruba land.
“The powers and glory of the old Oyo Empire are buried in Katunga. What exists today is a new kingdom, and hierarchy must reflect this post-1837 history,” they asserted.
Citing past legal victories, including a 1984 Supreme Court judgment that awarded disputed land to Ogbomoso over Oyo, the Mogajis underscored Ogbomoso’s historical significance.
They insisted on preserving the rotational leadership system, stating, “We reject any move to make the Alaafin the permanent chairman.
“Rotational leadership reflects fairness and historical accuracy.”
They argued that this system is essential for maintaining balance and respect among the state’s traditional institutions.
