Group Rejects Bill Seeking To Strip Alaafin Of Right To Obas’ Council Chair

A group operating under the aegis of Oyo Global Forum (OGF), a global network of Nigerians of Oyo extraction, has condemned the Council of Obas and Chiefs (Further Amendment) Bill, 2025, currently before the Oyo State House of Assembly.

The forum’s chairman, Taiwo Adebayo, in a statement on Thursday, argued that the bill sought to strip the Alaafin of Oyo of his rightful sole permanent chairmanship of the council of obas, and introduce a concurrent arrangement placing the Alaafin, the Olubadan of Ibadan and the Soun of Ogbomoso as equals.

According to him, this proposal challenges a deeply rooted institution that has, for centuries, symbolised the cultural unity, identity, and civilisation of the Yoruba people.

“Alaafin’s role as permanent chairman is not a matter of privilege or politics, but one rooted in historical precedent and traditional seniority.

“This bill, if passed, risks undermining a centuries-long legacy, one that Yoruba people should be proud of and ready to protect and preserve at all times. However, we have witnessed with grave concern a troubling blend of steps to degrade the influence of the Alaafin.

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“At one point, Alaafin’s chiefs were elevated to part II obas while the throne of their natural consenting authority was vacant, creating a bad precedent that severely limits the Alaafin’s powers over them when they go rogue and rebellious, or are even influenced by external forces against the Alaafin.

“Since the coronation of Alaafin Owoade I, there has been a growing hope for the restoration and continuity of the revered stool. However, this bill threatens to set even worse and worrisome precedents that distort traditional hierarchies.

“To legislate a concurrent chairmanship not only risks a destabilising reinterpretation of Yoruba traditional hierarchies but also disregards the cultural, historical, and spiritual significance of the Alaafin’s place in our collective identity”, he said.