Former Oyo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Michael Lana, has threw his weight behind the decision of the state House of Assembly to retain the rotational clause of the Chairmanship of Council of Obas and Chiefs in the state.
The state House of Assembly on Tuesday passed the Oyo State Chieftaincy Law (Further Amendment) 2025 into law which replaces Oyo State Chieftaincy Law 2000 that made the Alaafin of Oyo as Permanent Chairman of the Council.
But the new bill passed into law by the House provides that the Chairmanship of the Council be rotated among the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Alaafin of Oyo and Soun of Ogbomoso.
Lana in a statement he personally issued in Ibadan, said the matter was already on the table since the time of Governor Rasheed Ladoja, stating that a former Chief of Staff in the state, Dr. Saka Balogun, even submitted a write up on it.
According to him, the Council of Obas and Chiefs is not an ancient one nor created by government but came about when the Obas started having meetings with each other, noting that the issue of one Oba being superior to another does not arise.
He stated further that the meetings had no permanent venue but was rotated among the monarchs, disclosing that the government of Chief Obafemi Awolowo as Premier saw it was a good development, adopted it and thereafter made the law to back it.
The statement read, “Ooni was the Chairman until an agitation against it led by the Alafin, Olubadan, Soun and Owa Obokun. They eventually filed a suit at an Ibadan High Court in which Alafin in his affidavit proposed rotational chairmanship.
“The case died a natural death upon the creation of Osun State. However the late Alafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who was fighting for rotational Chairmanship stayed put as he did not want it rotated in the new Oyo State and this did not go down well with Olubadan of Ibadanland and Soun of Ogbomoso as it was contrary to their agreement before the creation of Osun State.”
Lana added that this was what led to attempt by former Governor Ladoja to seek permanent solution, stating that late former Governor Adebayo Akala then adopted the rotational Chairmanship but Alaafin went to court and did not allow Olubadan to step in as provided by law while late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi then suspended the Council.
“I believe that any right thinking person that wants the best for Oyo State should commended the state House of Assembly for passing the bill for the rotation of the Chairmanship of Council of Obas and Chiefs. Indeed, we must give kudos to members of the House for taking the courage to pass the bill”, he added.