Tension rocked the Oyo State House of Assembly on Tuesday as two lawmakers staged a dramatic walkout during the presentation of an amended report on the Council of Obas and Chiefs Bill.
The lawmakers Olorunpoto Rahman (Oyo East) and Gbenga Oyekola (Atiba) stormed out in protest as the Assembly adopted a rotational chairmanship among the Alaafin of Oyo, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, and the Soun of Ogbomoso. This marked a sharp reversal from the earlier proposal which had designated the Alaafin as the permanent chairman.
The contentious bill, presented by the Vice Chairman of the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters and State Honours, Bamidele Adeola, passed during plenary. It now mandates a two-year rotational chairmanship among the three foremost traditional rulers.
Rahman, speaking to journalists, described the legislative process as flawed. “There was no public hearing, no stakeholder engagement, and nobody from Oyo was invited to make input. The Alaafin is a paramount ruler, this bill is historically and culturally tone-deaf,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Palace of the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon also rejected the bill, calling it a politically skewed document that lacked adequate consultation. In a statement by the Olugbon’s Media Consultant, Bisi Oladele, the palace said the bill ignored the voices of key stakeholders and risked deepening regional division. “This bill entrenches Ibadan dominance and sidelines other zones like Oke-Ogun, Oyo, and Ibarapa,” the statement noted.
Oba Francis Alao, the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, warned that the bill could ignite unrest among monarchs if passed without broader consultation. He also questioned the historical ranking among traditional rulers, asserting that Orile-Igbon predates Ogbomoso and should not be overlooked in the leadership structure.
In a related development, the Ebedi Frontliners of Iseyin called for the inclusion of the Aseyin of Iseyin as a co-chairman, citing the representation imbalance. According to the group, Oke-Ogun’s 10 local government areas have no voice in the current chairmanship arrangement.
While some stakeholders praised Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration for democratizing the chieftaincy structure, others accused the government of politicizing a deeply traditional institution. The bill continues to divide opinion across Oyo State as calls for wider consultation grow louder.
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