War of words raging between Ibadan first class monarch, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji and supposed members of his council, under the aegis of Olubadan-in-Council, again, got more fuel as the Ibadan Obas, comprising members of the Olubadan-in-Council and promoted Baales, yesterday, kicked against the directive of the Olubadan and urged them to drop their crowns and return to the palace.
The monarchs described the directive as hypocritical and an aspersion on the review of the laws governing traditional institution in Oyo State, which approved their installation as beaded crown wearing kings.
Oba Adetunji had, in reaction to the various accusations levelled against him by the Obas, asked the Olubadan-in-Council members among them to remove their crowns and come back to the palace to perform their roles as members of his council.
But, the Obas, led by Otun Olubadan, Oba Lekan Balogun, faulted the highly referred monarch, insisting that none of the issues raised in their allegations against the “nefarious activities going on in his palace, such as non-screening of prospective Mogajis (family heads) and Baales (village head) by the council before installation; the cash and carry manner by which people now get positions of Mogaji and Baale, leading to the appointment of more than one Mogaji from the same compound and relinquishing of the palace authority to ‘Olori’ (the wife of the monarch), among others, have been answered.
The Ibadan Obas maintained that events had overtaken the court judgment being referred to, noting that aside the fact that there is an appeal pending on the same judgment, the issue of review of the traditional law in the state had since become a statewide one, encompassing Ibadan and other cities and towns which, till now, has not been disputed.
They also averred that the same reforms, which conferred on them the new titles of His Royal Majesties and Highnesses, also elevated the Olubadan to His Imperial Majesty from Royal Majesty, which the Olubadan proudly adorns, asking, “so, what makes our own wrong and his own right?”
The Ibadan Obas insisted that the reform carried out by the outgoing governor of the state, Abiola Ajimobi, was in the best interest of the state, in general, and Ibadan, in particular, which was why, despite their initial opposition to it, they had to embrace it when it became glaring that the reform was not of any benefit to the governor as a person.
Unfortunately, they recalled that the Olubadan was at the very meeting with them and the governor, where the issue was thrashed out, and they all agreed that the reform should be carried out. “But, the first class monarch capitulated on getting back to his palace when his wives castigated him, wondering how on earth other ‘Oloris’ (king’s wives) would exist alongside them at the same time,” the Obas said.
The Obas equally described as ludicrous and embarrassing the claim of palace smooth running without them.
They said: “If the infamy going on in his palace, with his Olori assuming the position of the defacto Olubadan, and his parading lower ranking Chiefs as his council members is his own definition of smooth running of the palace, then, we wonder what and how history would record his reign.”
Insisting that there’s nothing new in having more than a monarch in a town or city, the Obas said Lagos, today, parades over 53 Obas, Ile-Ife in Osun State is no more a town with just Ooni of Ife as its monarch, owing to a similar reform carried out by the state government just to mention a few of such places where similar reforms had taken place.
“Yet, in all of these places, the paramountcy of the consenting authority is never eroded which is what we have kept on telling our referred baba. Unfortunately, though very matured, peace-loving and understanding, his wife would not allow him to be himself which is why the issue has continued to linger,” the Obas said.