The Chief Whip of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Gbenga Oyekola, has advocated for the elevation of Alaafin of Oyo to the permanent authority and presiding President of the Council of Obas and Chiefs in the state.
The lawmaker, who is representing Atiba state constituency equally advocated for rotational chairmanship between the Olubadan of Ibadanland and the Soun of Ogbomoso respectively in the ongoing proposed Council of Obas and Chiefs (Further Amendments) Bill, 2025.
Speaking during the plenary session on Thursday presided over by the Speaker, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, Hon. Oyekola declared that it’s high time to Institutionalized the Alaafin of Oyo as the permanent authority and presiding President of the Council of Obas and Chiefs, and equally accommodate Olubadan of Ibadanland and Soun of Ogbomoso as the rotational Chairmen which should be contained in Schedule II and Schedule IA of the proposed Amendment law.
He noted that such elevation will further place the Obas and Chiefs in the state in the appropriate hierarchy as being practised in the neighbouring and other Yoruba states.
”Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, first and foremost, we need to put the public in the right perspective. Up till today, what is in operation by law as regards the status of chairmanship of the Council of Obas in the state is rotational. It’s after this amendment that the new system will be effective.
“I just want to add a leg that as it’s happening in other states of this Yorubaland, Osun and Lagos states for example, the Ooni of Ife has been elevated to the Post of President, others can be contesting and rotating the chairmanship ditto for Lagos State.
“I’m trying to advocate that we should just increase the seat of Alaafin of Oyo with a ladder, that Alaafin be recognised as the permanent President of Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.”
Seconding the motion on a bill for a law to further amend the Council of Obas and Chiefs law Cap.37 of Oyo State, Hon. Oyekola stated that the proposal of the amendment aims to restore historical precedence and ensure a clear leadership structure within the Council.
He stated further that the expansion of the Council will also pave ways for stability in the Oyo State traditional system, prevent administrative uncertainties, and foster greater respect for the institution in the state.
It would be recalled that a delegation led by the Chairman of the Council of Elders in Oyo Town, Chief Olatoye, paid a solidarity visit to the Speaker of the House, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin on Thursday over the proposed amendments to the Council of Obas and Chiefs law.
The delegation commended the Oyo State House of Assembly for the ongoing efforts to amend the Council of Obas and Chiefs law which has been moribund for about fourteen years.
The bill, has however, passed through the second reading stage and forwarded to the Standing House Committee on Local Government, Chieftaincy Matters and State Honours for further scrutiny and amendments.
