In a significant development reshaping the traditional power structure in Oyo State, the Oyo State House of Assembly has officially removed the Alaafin of Oyo as the permanent chairman of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
Aside from that, the lawmakers appointed the Olubadan of Ibadan and the Soun of Ogbomosho as co-chairmen of the state’s Traditional Rulers Council alongside the Alaafin.
The lawmakers, during a plenary session yesterday, passed amendments to the Oyo State Chiefs Law, effectively recognizing that the leadership of traditional rulers be adjusted to allow other senior monarchs to lead with the Alaafin.
The amendment to Section 5 of the Principal Law replaces the term “Chairman” with “Chairmen” in Subsection (1), signifying the end of the long-standing tradition that placed the Alaafin as the sole head of the Council.
According to the newly passed law, Paragraph 4 of the amendment explicitly provides that leadership of the traditional council in Oyo State shall now be shared among the three foremost monarchs: the Alaafin of Oyo, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, and the Soun of Ogbomosoland.
Lawmakers stated that the move is aimed at promoting equity and balance among the major traditional institutions in the state, reflecting the diverse cultural significance of each zone.
While the decision has stirred discussions in traditional circles, government sources have described it as a legislative step in line with modern governance and inclusion principles.
The bill now awaits the assent of Governor Seyi Makinde to become law.
