Gov Ajimobi of Oyo State:

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

Following the adoption of the recommendation of the Justice Akintunde Boade Comission of Enquiry on the review of the Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration of 1959, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has approved the scrapping of the Seriki line in the Olubadan chieftaincy declaration.

As a result, only the Olubadan line and the Balogun line can now produce the Olubadan and the Olubadan line has been renamed the “Otun Olubadan line”.

The decisions are contained in the document No. 14, Vol. 42, Oyo State Notice No. 27 dated August 23, 2017 and titled “Government White Paper by Technical Committee on the Report of Judicial Commission of Enquiry on the Review of the Existing Olubadan of Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration and other Related Chieftaincies in Ibadanland.”

The government had set up the Justice Akintunde Boade Commission of Enquiry to look into the Ibadan traditional chieftaincy declaration of 1959.

Members of the government committee which considered the report and recommendations of the Justice Boade Commission include the Governor’s Executive Assistance on Political Matters, Dr. Morohunkola Thomas, chairman, the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Dr. Gbade Ojo as member and the Coordinating Director (Cabinet and Security Services), Mr. F.N. Oladeinde as the secretary. Other members are: the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Oluseun Abimbola, Commissioner of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun and Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr. Abimbola Kolade, Special Adviser on Community Relations, Mr. Abidemi Siyanbade; Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, Mr. Yomi Layinka, and Special Adviser on Due Process, Mrs. Rose Oyedele.

The scrapping of the Seriki line comes even as the line remained locked in legal battle with the Olubadan chieftaincy. The Seriki line, headed by Chief Adebayo Oyediji, claimed that it was supposed to produce the Olubadan before Oba Adetunji was installed.

Chief Oyediji had challenged the legality and propriety of the state government to appoint the reigning Olubadan from the Balogun line despite an existing law that pitch the Seriki line to produce the Olubadan.