Oyo Hands Off Chieftaincy Wrangling

Strong hopes that the vacant stool of Alado of Ado Awaye in Oyo State which had been vacant in the last 28 years would be filled had been shattered again as the government  of Oyo State has resolved to follow the rule of law in the conflict.

Similarly, LEADERSHIP gathered that the state government has decided to allow the judiciary resolve who becomes the permanent chairman of the state council of traditional rulers and chiefs.

Five kingmakers in Ado Awaye in Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State, had last year, tackled former governor Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala over an attempt to impose a ruler on the town and replace the kingmakers with warrant chiefs.

Insiders told LEADERSHIP that the 28-year-old interregnum has caused a set-back for the town which has no traditional ruler to protect its interest since 1983 when its last paramount ruler (oba) passed on. The palace of the town had since been overtaken by weeds.

Findings further revealed that the kingmakers were opposed to an attempt by the government to impose one Chief Oluyemisi Ajayi on the town on the ground that there was a pending suit in court by some of the contestants to the throne.

It was argued that if the cases involving the contestants from the three ruling houses should be withdrawn from the court as suggested, then the proper process of selecting and appointing an oba would be taken as the traditional duty to be executed by the kingmakers and not the warrant chiefs so appointed by the former government.

“The appointment of warrant chiefs by the government which sacked the traditional kingmakers is a misnomer and the state government should hands off the matter,” a statement by the kingmakers read.

A concerned chief in the town wondered why a new man who was not involved in the legal tussle over the chieftaincy wrangling could emerge from nowhere, and claiming to be a rightful candidate to the vacant stool of Ado Awaye.

“When the former government invited us for a truce over the chieftaincy dispute, we were shocked when it was announced to us that the new oba would be Chief Ajayi. He was never known to us as one of the contestant to the throne,” one of the king makers who wanted anonymity said, adding that they had however returned to the court.

Describing their experience during a meeting with the government representatives as “an embarrassment of the highest order,” the kingmaker disclosed that, they merely diplomatically told the government representatives that the message would be passed on to their people at home. The kingmaker pointedly stressed that it would amount to a desecration of their custom and tradition if an oba be imposed on the town, adding that to replace them by warrant chiefs would not be acceptable to the kingmakers.

A chief in the town, commended Governor Ajimobi’s government for not meddling into the chieftaincy crisis, adding that the judiciary should be left to handle the matter.

LEADERSHIP findings, meanwhile, indicated that no meeting had held among the state traditional rulers in the last eight months.

-Nigeria Trends

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