The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun on Monday took a chieftaincy bill to the private residence of Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona to sign into law, the bill aimed at respecting human dignity and promotion of modernity in the installation and burial of traditional rulers
Penpushing reports that the controversial Ogun State Chieftaincy Bill signed by Abiodun is also aimed at curbing fetish practices in the process of installing and burying traditional rulers in the state.
“The traditional institution is the oldest form of administration and a very dependable and reliable one at that. This law was promoted by Kabiyesi, the Awujale during his tenure as the Chairman of the Ogun State Traditional Council’, he stated.
“I believe that one of the unique things about this law, besides the fact that it spells out a method of selection Obas and chiefs, is a clarity that this law now provides as it relates to the passage rites of our Kabiyesis (monarchs)”,Abiodun added
“This law seeks to improve on previously existing Western region laws or where there had been ambiguity as it relates to how our Kabiyesis will be buried, henceforth, this law now empowers the families to determine how our Kabiyesis will be interred, will be buried’, he said.
“Of course without prejudice to traditional rites that is meant to be performed by the customary, but it clarifies and removes any ambiguity about the fact that the families of our Kabiyesis (monarch) now have a say in how they want our royal fathers to be buried and I think this is very laudable.”
“I want to again thank Kabiyesi Awujale because he was very persistent and insistent to ensure that we review the existing law in consonance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’, Abiodun emphasised.
“Like the speaker said, this bill before it became law went through a very rigourous exercise. It was subjected to inputs from the public, there was a public seating and I understand that public seating drew more attention than any public seating that the Assembly has had in the recent times because of the interest our people had in how our Chiefs and Obas will be appointed and how our Kabiyesis will be interred on their eventual passage.
“I know that they must have been under a lot of pressure but the leadership of the House stood their ground for what is right, what is just, what makes sense, for what is modern and what is in line with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
The muslim community while reacting to the signing bill titled ‘Obas, Chiefs, Council of Obas and Traditional Council law of Ogun State, Bill 2021, described the bill as a welcome development.
Penpushing further reports that the traditionalists on their own part kicked against the move, describing it as tactics of an influential monarch in the state to dabble into tradition and rearrange it to suit his personal interest.
The traditionalist, it is recalled on July 14, 2021, clad in white attires stormed the Ogun State House of Assembly in protest against the passage of the bill, while it is on record that Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebu-land, Sikirulahi Adetona, initiated the bill in June 2020.
Penpushing reports that the bill initiated by the 87 year old monarch suffered set back before it was readjusted in 2021 and finally signed into law, when the Governor took the bill to Awujale private residence in Ijebu Ode to assent to the bill.
The Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona in response to the development expressed appreciation to the Governor,adding and expressing optimism that the signing of the bill is an approval of Abiodun’s second term in office.
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