• Oyo govt, Ibadan high chiefs at loggerheadsFrom Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
These days, fragile peace is pervading the atmosphere of Ibadan, Oyo State, over the resolve of Governor Abiola Ajimobi to review Olubadan chieftaincy system. The government had set up a technical committee to review the chieftaincy system in 2015. The reports submitted by the committee led the government to constitute a judicial commission of enquiry on the chieftaincy system to give legal backing to proposed review.
Investigation by Daily Sun revealed that the chiefs in Olubadan ruling line are not pleased with the proposed action of the government. As a result, they adopted “wait and see approach” to the reform. They insisted the chieftaincy system is self-reforming.
But the government maintained that the current Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration was done in 1957, hence the growth and development, which Ibadan land experienced in the last 60 years necessitated a review. The Olubadan line raised the alarm that the crisis, which the proposed review would create would not be forgotten forever.
The Ibadan chieftaincy system
The traditional structure of ascension to the throne of Olubadan of Ibadanland is arguably the best in the South West. The two ruling lines are the ‘Egbe Agba’ (Civil) and ‘Balogun’ (Military) from where Olubadan is appointed on rotational basis.
The two high chiefs next in rank to the Olubadan stool from the two lines are the Otun Olubadan and Balogun of Ibadanland. The duo are recognised as second-class traditional rulers under the Western Nigeria Law. The chieftaincy system makes the royal succession tradition largely free from rancour, litigation and usurpation. Any male child title-holder of the metropolitan centre of Ibadan is a potential king.
Every chief on the civil line has 22 steps and every chief on the military line has to climb 23 steps to occupy the stool of Olubadan. It usually takes decades to groom an Olubadan for the stool through the stages of chieftaincy promotion, an average of 35 to 40 years.
It took the present Olubadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji Aje Ogungunniso I, 40 years to occupy the stool, having been installed as Mogaji in 1976 and Jagun in 1978. He was installed as the 41st Olubadan on March 4, 2016. Jagun is the first step on the Olubadan line.
The immediate past Olubadan, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade I, waited for 35 years to become Olubadan. He was promoted Jagun in 1976 and was crowned as monarch on August 17, 2007 at the age of 93. His reign lasted for nine years.
The predecessor of the Oba Odulana, Oba Yinusa Ogundipe Arapasowu I, who was born in 1912, was crowned the 39th Olubadan at the age of 79 years on May 7, 1999. He had waited for 39 years to occupy the stool, and he reigned for eight years before he joined his ancestors in 2007 at the age of 87. He was appointed Mogaji of his compound at Oranyan in 1960 and was promoted to Jagun Balogun in 1964.
His predecessor, Oba Emmanuel Adeyemo Operinde I, spent 41 years between the time he was appointed the Mogaji of his family at Isale-Ijebu in 1953 and January 14, 1994, when he was crowned as the 38th Olubadan. He reigned for five years. The 37th Olubadan, Oba Yesufu Oloyede Asanike I, was also in his 80s when he became king in 1983 and his reign lasted 10 years.
Position of the law on Olubadan system
Daily Sun found out that the Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000 Cap 28 spell out the power of the governor in relation to the appointment of recognised chieftaincies in the state.
The laws state that it is the statutory duty of the governor to give approval or set aside any appointment made into any Recognised Part II Chieftaincies, but the governor will not do this until the expiration of 21 days after he must have been notified of such appointment by the secretary of the competent council, that is, the local government concerned in accordance with Section 19 of the Chiefs Law.
The period of 21 days is meant to allow an aggrieved candidate or aggrieved ruling house to make representations, that is, protest over the way and manner the appointment was done.
The laws say any person to be appointed as recognised chief, must not have been disqualified under any of the following grounds as contained in Section 14 (2) of the Chief Laws, that is, he must not be suffering from any serious physical infirmity; he must not be a lunatic and he must not be an ex-convict.
Section 14 (1) and (2) talks about qualifications and disqualifications of any person to be appointed into recognised chieftaincy. It states that any person to be appointed into recognised chieftaincy shall be qualified, if he is a unanimously selected by his ruling house, though two or three candidates may be selected by his ruling house, while the kingmakers have the power to appoint one. But the governor must approve the appointment.
The law further states that where a person is installed without prior approval of the governor, Section 21 of the Chief Law may be activated, which says: “Where a vacancy has occurred in a recognised chieftaincy and no person has been approved as successor thereto by the governor in accordance with this part, any person who installs or purports to install a person as such chief or any person who permits himself to be installed as such chief shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for two years.
“Any person who installs or purports to install a person as a recognised chief other than the person approved by the governor in accordance with this part, or who not being the person approved by the governor in accordance with this part, permits himself to be installed as a chief shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for two years.
“Where a person has been approved as a recognised chief in accordance with this part, any other person who holds himself out as such chief or wears any of the regalia of such chief…shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for two years.”
Beginning of the chieftaincy review and face-off
The plan to review the chieftaincy system actually started on January 1, 2016, when the late Oba Odulana elevated some chiefs. The promotion was effected a day after the government said the concerned chiefs must submit their medical reports, obtained from recognised hospitals.
The elevation drew the ire of the state government that asked the promoted chiefs to revert to their former positions with 48 hours. The government described the promotion as illegal. The directive was contained in a letter signed by the Director, Chieftaincy Matters, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
“Consequently, government directs that the organisers and the beneficiaries to reverse the purported elevation within 48 hours of this publication, failing which appropriate sanctions will be invoked under sections 21 and 26 of the Chiefs Laws, Cap 28, Laws of Oyo State, 2000. The case of Ashekoya vs. Olawumi (1962) 1 All NLR 125 is instructive.”
Before that incident, Oba Adetunji was the Otun Balogun and was promoted to Balogun of Ibadanland. Senator Lekan Balogun, who is currently the Otun Olubadan was elevated from the position of Osi Olubadan on the same day. The Balogun and Otun were the most seniors on the two ruling lines to the throne of Olubadan and the next to the monarch.
Other chiefs promoted from the Otun line are former governor Rashidi Ladoja, who was promoted from Ashipa Olubadan to Osi Olubadan; Chief Eddy Oyewole, promoted from Ekerin Olubadan to Ashipa Olubadan; Chief Abiodun Kola-Daisi elevated from Ekarun Olubadan to Ekerin.
Other chiefs promoted on the Balogun line are Chief Owolabi Olakuleyin, who became Osi Balogun; Dr. Olufemi Olaifa moved a step up from Ashipa Balogun to Osi Balogun; Tajudeen Abimbola from Ekerin Balogun to Ashipa Balogun; former Ekarun Balogun, Solomon Adabale, now the new Ekerin Balogun.
The development led to a face-off between the government and the Olubadan-in-Council. The face-off almost tore Ibadan apart, but for the intervention of Ibadan Elders’ Forum, comprising notable Ibadan senior citizens under the leadership of Ambassador Olusola Saanu.
Ajimobi’s vow
The first time Ajimobi made a public statement on the Olubadan chieftaincy system after the face-off was at the installation of Oba Adetunji on March 4, 2016. He vowed that his administration would review the existing Olubadan of Ibadanland Chieftaincy Declaration and Other Related Chieftaincies in Ibadanland:
“We are set to be a model to others and to this end, we will carry out a complete overhaul of the institution of Chieftaincy in this state with a view to ensuring speedy conclusion of appointment to chieftaincy titles based on the true custom of our people. We will also review the status of Obas and Chiefs with a view to also insulating them from partisan politics moreso that they are expected to be the father of all.”
Series of events also unfolded after the installation such as colloquium, and meetings on the Olubadan chieftaincy system. Scholars such as a frontline historian, Prof Bolanle Awe; former governor of Oyo State, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo; and former Managing Director of Daily Times, Chief Areoye Oyebola, presented their positions and they all supported restructuring of the Olubadan chieftaincy system. But many chiefs on Olubadan line objected to the restructuring and preferred that status quo be maintained.
Oyebola, who spoke at a colloquium on the topic, “Ibadan Chieftaincy Traditional Imperatives for Reform,” advised that youths within 35-45 years should be the target for Mogaji titles across Ibadanland:
“Anything we must do to begin to take younger people as Mogajis must be done so that younger person can emerge Olubadan someday. I suggest the Olubadan-in-Council should call a meeting of Baales to nominate educated, successful and younger people from their families to become the Mogajis. What do you want to do with old Mogajis without means of livelihood and survival?” He lamented that there was no sense in people waiting for so long to become Olubadan only for such to die after few years.
Olunloyo said indeed something must be done to streamline the lines and reduce the succession steps to the throne. Contrary to popular belief that the chieftaincy hierarchy was rancour-free, the former governor clarified that succession to the Olubadan throne was not always rancour-free.
Oloye Lekan Alabi, Aare Alaasa of Ibadanland, highlighted factors that distinguished Ibadan system unique was that promotion in the royal succession is not by examination, litigation or calculation but by destiny.
Judicial commission of enquiry
On Friday May 19, 2017, Ajimobi inaugurated a seven-man Judicial Commission of Enquiry with a view to reforming the 60-year-old Olubadan of Ibadanland chieftaincy system.
The reform is expected to, among others, make provision for some Baales (village heads) to be upgraded to the status of beaded wearing kings in Ibadanland. But they would not be equal in status to the Olubadan, as they will be reporting to the paramount ruler of Ibadanland.
The commission chaired by retired Justice Ookanola Boade, has four weeks from the day of the inauguration to submit its report. Ajimobi noted that the setting up of the body was long overdue, considering the fact that the existing declaration of the Olubadan of Ibadanland was made in 1957. He added that the provision of the declaration was no longer in line with the current reality of the chieftaincy of equal status in Yoruba land.
The governor noted that he had approved the setting up of a three-man administrative technical committee on December 8, 2015 to look into the existing chieftaincy declaration of the Olubadan, adding that the findings of the committee led to the inauguration of the judicial commission.
Ajimobi tasked the commission to review the existing requirement and qualification for ascendancy to the throne of Olubadan, and review the selection process of Olubadan from Otun and Balogun lines.
He also asked the commission to look into the possibilities of having more “beaded crown Obas” in Ibadan land based on the present size and population of the city, adding that the commission should also review the existing 1957 Declaration of Olubadan of Ibadanland in line with the proposed change in chieftaincy institution in Ibadan land:
“This Judicial Commission of Enquiry is not being set up to witch-hunt anybody, nor to raise prejudice against anyone but to ensure effective traditional institution in Ibadan land, to pave way for socio-economic development for Ibadan land and Oyo State in general, which is one of the cardinal objectives of the present administration.”
The three-man administrative technical committee had said the 1957 Olubadan chieftaincy declaration be reviewed to effect expected changes in the system, and that the current declaration provided two prongs of Otun Olubadan and Balogun, each having 22 and 23 rungs respectively, whereby whoever emerges as Olubadan is too old to cope with the rigour of the stool, hence it has been a minus for Ibadan land a,on the comity of traditional rulers in Oyo State and Yoruba land. The technical committee had also said that the only beaded crown wearing Oba’ in Ibadan land is the Olubadan, saying the practice is not in line with the current realities vis-a-vis current population of Ibadan.
Balogun, Ladoja drag Ajimobi to court
The Otun Olubadan, Senator Lekan Balogun, alleged that the governor had never hidden his disdain for the current process of selecting Olubadan. The council, according to him, would adopt a “wait and see approach” till details of the reforms are made public.
Former governor Rashidi Ladoja described the decision to review Olubadan chieftaincy system as a misplacement of priority. He said the people of Ibadan had a long-established rancour-free tradition of succession to the throne, adding that the succession order had become the envy of many cities and states:
“What concerns the government with the processes and procedures for the emergence of Olubadan? The crisis this decision will create will linger forever if allowed to pass. The people of the state should think very well about the crisis being created by the current government through this policy.”
So, on Friday, May 26, 2017, Balogun and Ladoja dragged Ajimobi and the Judicial Commission of Enquiry to court over the proposed review of the 1957 Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration.
The claimants prayed the court, in the suit number M/317/2017, to restrain the Judicial Commission of Enquiry from sitting, accepting any memorandum or in any way taking any step in furtherance of its assignment, pending the determination of motion on notice in respect of the subject.
They told the court that only two of the seven-member panel are natives of Ibadan, contending that it was improper for non-Ibadans to determine the fate of Ibadan indigenes on issues relating to the succession to the throne of the Olubadan. An affidavit in support of the claimants’ ex parte application said: “That Ibadan has issues with Oyo over the Council of Obas and one of the members of the commission, Prince Wasiu Gbadegesin, is in line to the throne of Alaafin of Oyo and will therefore be biased against the peaceful and rancor-free method of selecting the Olubadan of Ibadan land.”
President-General, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Wole Akinwande and the Bamofin of Ibadan land, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, refused to make comments until the judicial commission makes details of the review available.
Ibadan youths reject more kings
Three hundred Ibadan natives, under the aegis of the Integrity Youths of Ibadanland, also raised opposition to the proposed review. They told Ajimobi that the outcome of the proposed review of the 1957 Olubadan chieftaincy declaration would be counter-productive. President of the group, Mr. Wasiu Ojekunle and secretary, Mr. Kamaldeen Ganiyu, asked the state government to rescind the proposed review, to prevent embers of discord, disunity and violence it might cause in the city:
“We vehemently kick against the move to have more obas in Ibadanland. We rather want the government to strengthen the existing positions for community leaders through the Olubadan-in-Council.”
Ajimobi has right to review Olubadan chieftaincy declaration – Akintola
Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN), said Ajimobi has every right to review the 60-year-old Olubadan chieftaincy declaration: “We must face one fact that life itself revolves around changes. The governor as the chief executive officer of the state has the right to review the law through the state House of Assembly, at anytime. What is bad in reviewing the 1957 declaration? What is the noise about? I don’t think that should be an issue.”