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The Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Saliu Adetunji, has sued the Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi and 23 others, over the installation of 21 kings in Ibadan on August 27, 2017.
Others sued in the suit with file number I/1077/2017, are the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, the eight high chiefs and the Baales that were crowned obas.
Apart from the suit filed by Olubadan, there are others filed by Rashidi Ladoja, Abdul Jelil Karimu and others.
The Olubadan, in the suit, claims that the governor violated the Chiefs Laws CAP 28 of the state, saying that Ajimobi does not possess the power and authority to confer anybody the right to wear a beaded crown and coronet.
The Olubadan is also claiming that the crowing of the kings is illegal and void since the governor did not consult with the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
The Olubadan is seeking an order setting aside the Gazette number 14 and 15 of Volume 42 of August 23 and 24, 2017 made by the governor and which conferred the right to wear crown and coronet on the elevated high chiefs and Baales. He said the governor’s action violated provisions of the CAP 28 of the Chiefs Laws of the state. The monarch therefore prays the court to set aside the installation of the new kings.
One of the representatives of the Olubadan, Abiodun Abdu-raheem, was quoted as saying: “The governor exercised his power to elevate chiefs to kings acting under the provision of section 28 (1) Cap 28 of the Chiefs Laws of Oyo State. The Olubadan is contending the fact that before you can exercise any power under the section of the Chiefs Law, you must as a matter of necessity consult with the Oyo State Council of Chiefs and Obas.
“As far as the monarch is concerned, the council has not been holding meeting by virtue of the directive of the governor in 2011. Since the council is not sitting, the governor could not have consulted with it before going on to carry out the action that led to the crowning of the kings. There is no provision that says that the governor can waive consultation with the council if it is not sitting. The law is clear on this matter. As it is today, the Olubadan of Ibadan land is the chairman of that council, even though the Laafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi is contending that in court.
“In the entire provisions of the Chiefs Laws, beaded crown is mentioned and not coronet which the government claimed that was given to the Baales who were elevated to kings. The government stated that it gave beaded crowns to the high chiefs and coronet to the Baales but there are no provisions for coronet in the state Chiefs Laws.
“The issue of amending chieftaincy declaration of the Olubadan can only be done after certain requirements are fulfilled. The law says that there must be a chieftaincy committee to be set up by the governor before such thing can be done. But such committee did not exist. The law says such committee must have a recognised chief as the chairman and other chiefs as members. We want the court to determine if the committee set up by the governor had a recognised chief as its chairman and if the members were chiefs.”