OYSG orders Olubadan to revert Ladoja, other High Chiefs elevation within 48hrs
By: Bayo Akamo, Ibadan.
Oyo State Government has ordered the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade to within 48 hours, revert the promotion Of Senator Rashidi Ladoja and 8 other Ibadan High Chiefs he elevated “illegally” last Friday or face sanction.
The government in a statement released Monday night copied security agencies in the state and The Permanent Secretary, Min. of Health, Oyo State, Oyo State
Zaccheaus Jayeola, Director,vowed not to fold its arms while laws of the land were being violated.
In the statement signed by the Oyo State Director, Chieftaincy Matters, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Zaccheaus Jayeola, titled “The Illegal Elevation Of Nine High Chiefs In Ibadanland”: the government said it “has observed with dismay and utter disappointment the recent ‘elevation’ of nine (9) Ibadan High Chiefs by the Olubadan-in-Council without the mandatory approval of the Government of Oyo State. Government, as required under the Law, stated its position on the procedures for the elevation in its Public Service Announcement of 31st December 2015 and its letter to the OLUBADAN-IN-COUNCIL. The letter was duly acknowledged by the Olubadan’s Private Secretary”.
“It is to be noted for the avoidance of doubt that since the inception of the present administration, Government has resisted, as a matter of policy, any attempt to be lured into religious, chieftaincy and labour union leadership and other contentious issues. This is in order to maintain its neutrality, ensure fairness, justice and respect for the rule of law. Government will always uphold the sanctity of the rule of law and would neither encourage nor condone any tradition or peculiar culture of illegality, impunity, disregard and/or disrespect to constituted authority. Instead, it has concentrated on its avowed mission on the peace, safety of lives and property, security, welfare and empowerment of the people, infrastructural development, employment generation and urban renewal, among others, to make life more abundant for the teeming populace of the State” its stated.
Oyo state government stated further that “It is in view of the foregoing that Government notes and states as follows:
(i) Government’s suspicion and ardent belief are that the recent purported elevation could not have received the blessing of our highly revered father and traditional ruler, the Olubadan of Ibadanland. He is reputed to be a forthright and foremost traditional ruler with an enviable track record of achievements and a firm believer in due process as well as a respecter of the rule of law.
(ii) It is for this same reason that the Olubadan of Ibadanland expectedly wrote an earlier letter requesting the Governor’s due approval for the elevation of the nine (9) High Chiefs in accordance with the provisions of Section 14(2) of the Oyo State Chiefs Law.
(iii) As a firm believer in the sacredness of tradition, His Royal Majesty had earlier cautioned and warned against politicising the Olubadan chieftaincy institution.
(iv) Otherwise, what could have been the reason behind the hasty elevation without observing due process, which Government is duly complying with?
It added that “(v) While the Government does not have any objection to the proposed elevation nor its beneficiaries, it is however insisting on due process and lawful procedure which had not been followed in the past, saying, “the appointment and or elevation of deserving persons into the Stool of Part II Chieftaincies can only be made on the approval of His Excellency, the Governor as prescribed by the provision of Chiefs Laws, Cap 28 Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000, whilst the Olubadan is the consenting authority.
The statement reads further, “On the receipt of the application for the elevation of the Chiefs, His Excellency, the Governor, applying Section 14(2) of the Chiefs Law, referred their names for the mandatory security checks by the Department of Security Services and mandated the candidates to, on their own, provide their certificates of medical status from a Government secondary health institution. The status of the due process being carried out by Government was conveyed to the Olubadan via the Ibadan South East Local Government which was duly acknowledged by the Olubadan’s Private Secretary, in addition to the Government’s Public Service Announcement of Thursday, 31/12/15 relaying same”.
The government stated that “ to further reiterate the legal provision on the issue, Sections 21 and 26 of the Chiefs Laws stipulate relevant sanctions against whoever contravenes the provisions of the Law, saying, “Apparently, the actions taken on the elevation of the Chiefs as widely publicised is illegal. Moreso, when the Olubadan as the consenting authority had already commenced the due process by seeking the approval of the Governor for the appointment/elevation as prescribed by Law.
It then declared that “consequently, Government directs that the organisers and the beneficiaries to reverse the purported elevation WITHIN 48 HOURS OF THIS PUBLICATION, failing which appropriate sanctions will be invoked under sections 21 and 26 of the Chiefs Laws, Cap 28, Laws of Oyo State, 2000. The case of Ashekoya vs. Olawumi (1962) 1 All NLR 125 is instructive”.
