Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, on Thursday inaugurated the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, reviving the traditional body which had been inactive since 2011, following the passage and signing into law of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs (Further Amendments) Bill, 2025.
The amendment to the Chieftaincy Law altered Clause 5 of Section 28, making the chairmanship of the Council rotational among the Alaafin of Oyo, the Soun of Ogbomoso and the Olubadan of Ibadanland.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Governor Makinde said he consulted with the trio of traditional rulers and that a consensus was reached for the rotation to commence with the Olubadan of Ibadanland, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Rashidi Ladoja. According to the governor, the Olubadan will chair the Council for two years before the position rotates to one of the other monarchs.
Makinde said the prolonged absence of the Council had denied traditional rulers certain statutory benefits, adding that the inauguration restores the Council’s authority to formally engage the state government. He pledged to support the Council’s operations, including the renovation of the House of Chiefs, subject to an official request from the Council.
While acknowledging that the amended law might require further review, the governor noted that the House of Assembly remains empowered to make adjustments where consensus exists.Earlier, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Ademola Ojo, described the inauguration as a demonstration of the continued relevance of traditional institutions in preserving culture, promoting peace and supporting governance. He said the Council would serve as an advisory body on conflict resolution, cultural preservation and community development.
In his remarks, the newly inaugurated Chairman of the Council, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, expressed appreciation to Governor Makinde for restoring the Council after many years of inactivity. He commended the governor’s efforts, describing the reconstitution of the Council as a significant achievement. Oba Ladoja said traditional rulers, being closer to the grassroots and non-partisan, remain trusted voices in advancing peace, security, development and social welfare across their domains
However, hours after the inauguration, the Alaafin of Oyo’s Palace issued a statement disputing the governor’s claim of consultation. In a press release signed by the Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, Mr. Bode Durojaiye, the Palace stated that there was no time His Imperial Majesty, Oba Engineer Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, held any meeting with Governor Makinde or with the Olubadan and the Soun of Ogbomoso on the issue of rotational chairmanship.
The statement further noted that the Alaafin neither endorsed nor made any categorical statement supporting the rotational arrangement, adding that the position of the Alaafin and the Oyo community on the Council of Obas and Chiefs had earlier been formally communicated to the governor through a memo submitted by the Oyo Council of Elders.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by top government officials, including the Deputy Governor, Barrister Bayo Lawal; Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, represented by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mohammed Fadeyi; Chief Judge of Oyo State, Hon. Justice Iyabo Yerima; Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Musibau Babatunde; and other senior government functionaries.
