Ajimobi urged the commission to review the existing requirement/qualification for ascendancy to the Olubadan throne and the selection process of Olubadan from Otun and Balogun lines.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Friday in Ibadan inaugurated a seven-man judicial commission of enquiry on the review of the existing Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commission, which was constituted on April 8, was inaugurated at the Governor’s Office.

Retired Justice Akintunde Boade was named Chairman while members included Chief John Ajibola, Mr Joseph Oladele and Mr Paul Ayoola.

Others members are Mr Ogunniyi Ogunjinmi, Mr Wasiu Gbadegesin and Mr Adegbaye Abiodun.

Ajimobi urged the commission to review the existing requirement/qualification for ascendancy to the Olubadan throne and the selection process of Olubadan from Otun and Balogun lines.

He charged them to look into the possibilities of having more beaded crown obas in Ibadan land, considering the present size and population.

The governor urged the commission to review the existing 1957 declaration of Olubadan of Ibadan land in line with the proposed change in chieftaincy institution in Ibadan land

Ajimobi also urged the commission to submit its report to the state government within four weeks from the day of inauguration.

The governor, who said the commission was not set up to witch-hunt or create prejudice against anyone, explained that it was rather to provide for an effective traditional institution in Ibadanland and Oyo State.

“Let me emphasise that on Dec. 8, 2015, I approved the setting up of a three-man Administrative Technical Committee to look into the existing chieftaincy declaration of the Olubadan of Ibadanland.”

The governor said the terms of reference given to the commission were the findings of the Administrative Technical Committee set up earlier.

NAN reports that the committee had recommended the review of the 1957 declaration to effect changes in Olubadan chieftaincy and other related chieftaincies in Ibadan.

The committee stated that the current Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration provided for two prongs of Otun Olubadan and Balogun, with each having 22 and 23 rungs respectively.

“This situation has always made whoever emerges as Olubadan of Ibadanland too old to cope with the rigour of the stool,” the committee stated in its report.

It stated that the committee had discovered that the only beaded crown wearing Oba in Ibadanland was the Olubadan of Ibadanland, saying this was no longer realistic with the current population of Ibadan. (NAN)

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