Mogajis in Oyo State have opposed amendment proceedings in the state House of Assembly to make the Alaafin of Oyo permanent chairman of Oyo State Council of Obas.
Accordingly, the Mogajis of the Soun Ruling Houses, Ogbomoso, vehemently rejected the proposed amendment to the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs Law by the Oyo State House of Assembly towards making the Alaafin of Oyo permanent chairman of the council.
Five notable mogajis from Ogbomoso, who include Prince Olawuyi Itabiyi (Aburumaku), Prince Sikiru Oyeyiola (Gbagun), Prince Amos Olawole Olaoye (Laoye), Prince Samuel Oyebamiji Oyedeji (Bolanta), and Prince Stephen Ilufoye Layode (Odunaro), in a joint statement on Monday, declared that the proposed amendment is “an affront to history and tradition”.
They argued that “History is clear: the Oyo supremacy ended with the destruction of Oyo-Ile by the Fulani invasion.
“What followed was a new historical order that saw other Yoruba towns, like Ogbomoso and Ibadan, rise to prominence.”
The mogajis maintained that the present Oyo Kingdom, founded in 1875 by Prince Atiba, is not the same with the original Oyo Empire ruled by Alaafin Oranmiyan.
They asserted that Ogbomoso and Ibadan, historically, provided refuge to migrating Oyos, noting Ogbomoso’s crucial role in blocking the Fulani invasion into core Yoruba land.
According to the mogajis, “The powers and glory of the old Oyo Empire are buried in Katunga. What exists today is a new kingdom, and hierarchy must reflect this post-1837 history.”
The Mogajis cited a Supreme Court judgment in 1984 that awarded disputed land to Ogbomoso over Oyo, warning against processes that would undermine the significance of Ogbomoso’s historical relevance.
They, therefore, declared, “We reject any move to make the Alaafin the permanent chairman. Rotational leadership reflects fairness and historical accuracy.”
Furthermore, the Ibadan Mogajis, led by Mogaji Abass Oloko, went on public protest to the Oyo State House of Assembly, opposing the legislation to appoint the Alaafin permanent chairman of the Oyo Council of Obas.
Arriving the House of Assembly while the lawmakers were not in session, Mogaji Oloko protested that “the Olubadan is a revered monarch, and his relevance cannot be underestimated.”
He cautioned: “This is totally uncalled for and can lead to a state of chaos.”
Oloko demanded the intervention of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde, to avert the breakdown of law and order in the state. According to him, “I urge our compassionate governor to intervene and prevent the Assembly from passing any law that may contribute to a breakdown of law and order in Oyo State.”