Traditional worshippers on Wednesday stormed the complex of Ogun State House of Assembly to protest a bill seeking for a regulation of burial and installation rites of traditional rulers in the state.
Penpushing reports that, the traditionalists said to be members of the Osugbo cult, arrived the complex in a procession and clad in traditional regalia, which caught the assemblymen and other stakeholders agape
The traditionalists had earlier on Tuesday issued a statement urging the lawmakers to do away with the proposed bill, arguing that, they have no business on how a traditional ruler is chosen nor buried
Penpushing further reports that, the body under the aegis of ‘Isese’ through their spokesperson, Ifayemi Osunlabu noted and warned that if the bill scales through and signed into law, it would constitute an infringement on the rights of the traditional worshippers and might promote chaos and pandemonium in the communities
‘Obaship institution is contained under the traditional institution, as such, anybody who voluntarily gives himself out to be crowned and installed as a king will immediately attain the status of the “second in command to oracle” of their respective lands and domain’, they argued
“Having agreed, accepted and concurred to fall in line and abide by the rules, regulations, doctrines and practices of such tradition, such a person should abide by the tradition,” the traditionalist said
Penpushing also reports that, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt Hon Kunle Oluomo who presided over the session, in response said the proposed bill on traditional council law does not set out to specifically tinker with Obas burial rites as being speculated,
The speaker explained that the legislation was initiated to correct existing anomalies in the traditional institution, especially the conduct of installation without following due process, including the absence of declaration for some traditional stools.
Penpushing reports that, Oluomo said the anomalies had been creating difficulty on how to determine those entitled to the throne, and submitted that such unethical practice had made it very easy for unqualified persons and strangers to lay unmerited claims to the stool, thereby creating distortions in historical records in recent times.
The speaker recounted such irregularities recorded in the twilight of the immediate past administration in the state, where some unqualified people were haphazardly selected without adherence to due process.
Penpushing further reports that, Oluomo assured that the assembly, with the support of all participants, would ensure the passage of a bill that would put a stop to the attendance of political rallies by Obas, thereby returning the institution to its pride of place and honour.
“We have equally seen where a town or village is in existence and the Baale (community head) is there, but in their developed area, where plots of land were sold to strangers to erect residential structure, such strangers were later allotted a traditional stool illegally.
“It has been the new norms of short-changing the original inhabitants of the area in the selection of monarchs to the advantage of strangers which must stop. These are part of the things we are trying to correct,” he said.
The speaker assured the ‘stakeholders’ that their views would be harmonised to arrive at an all-encompassing bill, and underscored the essence of government’s authority on the installation of any category of traditional rulers, that the same authority enabled the assembly to enact relevant laws to regulate the revered institution.
Penpushing also reports that,the Assembly declared to the traditionalists in the state that it would not allow the use of human beings for rituals during the installation or burial of a monarch, and assured all the stakeholders, including traditionalists, who still needed time to submit their contributions to the bill to do so on or before July 23
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