IBADAN Yoruba nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, widely known as Sunday Igboho, has called on traditional rulers in Oyo State to set aside their differences over the chairmanship of the State Council of Obas and instead unite to tackle the growing insecurity threatening the South-West region.
The appeal follows an ongoing dispute between the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, over the rotational leadership of the council.
Governor Seyi Makinde recently appointed Oba Ladoja as chairman under a new arrangement that rotates the position among the Olubadan, Alaafin, and Soun of Ogbomoso—a decision that has sparked controversy among traditional institutions.
In a statement released yesterday, Igboho expressed disappointment that prominent monarchs with deep historical significance to Yoruba heritage are engaged in a power struggle while serious security threats persist across the region.
“Why are our royal fathers expending energy on positional disputes when bandits, terrorists, and criminals have overtaken our forests in the South-West? Consider the recent tragic killings of guards at Old Oyo National Park and elsewhere in Oyo State,” Igboho questioned.
He emphasized that traditional rulers, regardless of their hierarchical positions, must unite to protect Yoruba territorial integrity against escalating insecurity and promote development in the collective interest of the South-West.
Igboho also appealed to other respected Yoruba leaders, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the Olugbon of Orile Igbon, Oba Francis Olushola Alao, to intervene and help resolve the tensions.
“Traditional rulers should serve as agents of unity, harmony, and economic progress. When your subjects—especially farmers in rural areas—are being brutally killed, it is inappropriate to fuel disputes over temporary positions,” he stated.
Group rejects rotational chairmanship arrangement
Meanwhile, Egbe Omo Oyo Niiwa Nitooto has firmly rejected the recently passed Oba and Chiefs Council Bill, describing it as a distortion of Yoruba political tradition.
In a statement signed by General Secretary Abbas Ayomide, the group condemned the provision establishing rotational chairmanship among the three monarchs, calling it “an assault on history and an act of cultural vandalism.”
“Tradition is not democratic, and history does not rotate. Oyo was an empire with the Alaafin at its peak. These are historical facts that no legislation can erase,” the statement declared.
“The primacy of the Alaafin of Oyo in the Council of Obas is established by history, sanctified by tradition, and cannot be negotiated through any political arrangement. Government administrations are temporary; history endures forever.”
Olubadan emphasizes security vigilance
In a related development, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has urged Nigerians to exercise heightened security consciousness amid the nation’s mounting security challenges.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by Khalifa Sheikh Habeebullahi Muhyideen Ajani Bello—son and successor of the late Islamic preacher Alhaji Muideen Bello—at his Oke Aremo palace, the monarch stressed that security responsibility extends beyond government.
“Given the security challenges facing our nation, Nigerians must remain vigilant in their movements and daily activities. Security is no longer the government’s sole responsibility; every citizen must be mindful of their environment and personal safety,” Oba Ladoja stated through his Chief Press Secretary, Chief Ayoade Olugbemiga.
He noted that insecurity has become a global challenge requiring collective responsibility and deliberate preventive measures from all citizens.
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