Yinka ADETUNJI
Onpetu of Ijeruland, Oba Sunday Oladapo Oyediran, Lagbami Osekun III, has said that the installation of a traditional ruler in Odo-Oba by the Alajaawa, Oba Thomas Adeyeye Oyerunji Olumole II is an exercise in futility.
Last week news filtered in that one Samuel Oladele Adeleke has been installed by Oba Oyetunji, Alajaawa as the first ever Baale of Odo-Oba in Ogo-Oluwa local government, with mixed reactions however trailing the development, because traditionally, Odo-Oba (or what is known as Obada or Oja-Oba) belongs to the Onpetu royal dynasty of Ijeru as the market was founded in 1938, by a past Onpetu – Oba Oyinkansola Adedoyin, along Ogbmoso-Oyo road. The market later developed into a town as the market became important and people began to settle there permanently.
Therefore, following the installation of Chief Adeleke as Baale Odo-Oba by Alajaawa, The Insight spoke with Onpetu, Oba Oyediran at his palace during which he dismissed the action describing Alajaawa as trespassing in a domain he has no suzerainty.
Onpetu indeed took the matter lightly stressing Alajaawa acted in ignorance. Onpetu claimed this might have stemmed from the misconception arising from the location of Obada in Ogo-Oluwa local government where Alajaawa is chairman of the traditional council.
He was asked if he got across to Alajaawa over what he believed is an infraction, but Onpetu fired back: ‘Why should l get across to him when l know it is an effort in futility. Why do l need to bother myself.’
Her submitted: ‘Let me just quickly say this because Alajaawa being a new person on the throne could be pardoned for what he did because he must be having the misconception that because Obada is in Ogo-Oluwa local government he has every power to rule over Obada. That is not what the law says.What you feel is not what the law says and what the law says is sacrosanct. So as far as I am concerned, l can pardon him…’
Oba Oyediran continued, ‘There have not been any chief installed in Obada town or Oja-Oba because before you can install a chieftaincy in a new place what the law says is that you must apply for government approval.
‘To the best of my knowledge, government has not given anybody approval to install anybody in Obada or Odo-Oba.’
Though revealing that the Onpetu royal dynasty has begun the process of securing approval for the creation of Obada chieftaincy earlier before now, Oba Oyediran stated it was not mandatory that the community had a traditional head since Onpetu administers it.
‘Is it mandatory that there must be a chieftaincy in the the place? Kaduna has been in existence for a very long time, up till tomorrow, it is still under the Emir of Zaria, l stand to be corrected.
‘So, why should anybody be disturbed about having a traditional ruler in Obada? As the name connotes, Obada -the king established – so, there must be a king who established the place, which implies that that king is still administering the affairs of that place..
‘As far as l am concerned, that place is properly being administered traditionally. However, that does not mean we are not planning to have one because there is joy in delegating power. So, we are planning to have one and we have applied to the government.’
The monarch now threw light on the intricacies of OluOje kingdom’s lands extending into Ogo-Oluwa local government even though Ijeru, the headquarters is in Ogbomoso South local government.
‘When Ogo-Oluwa local government was newly created and greater percentage of Onpetu chieftaincies found themselves under the local government of Ogo-Oluwa, the right to appoint or instal anybody was not given to any Alajaawa, that has been a misconception over time.
‘If you check the law, as at that time, it gave the power of appointment to the local government traditional council – Ogo-Oluwa local government Traditional Council, and it is different from the institution of Alajaawa, they are two different institutions.
‘And what is the duty of the traditional council? It is to approve an appointed chieftaincy candidate forwarded to it. So, there must be a process of appointment before you seek for approval. It is only approval you seek from the local government traditional council, and once that approval is given, the candidate comes back for installation, he does not take the tradional right away from Onpetu, it only subjected the appointment of a candidate to the approval of the traditional council.
‘There is no doubt about it that Alajaawa is the chairman of Ogo-Oluwa local government Traditional Council, but that does not make him the alpha and omega of the traditional council.’
Onpetu who last December celebrated 20years anniversary of his coronation now informed that the moment the Oyo state government approves its request for the creation of Obada chieftaincy the traditional head of the town will be installed.
‘There is a process ongoing, we have written to government for approval, and once the government approves for us, we instal.’
Nevertheless, he rejected the idea that there would be two Baales in Odo-Oba, saying ‘there cannot be two Baales; one has committed an offence under the law, there is a relevant section of the Chiefs Law that deals with somebody who is parading hismself as a chief. There is another aspect of the law that metes out punishment to that person who exercises the right or power he does not possess under the law, so, the two of them are subject to the dictates of the law, we will be waiting.’