You are a disgrace to royalty – Olubadan blasts Ibadan High Chiefs

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, has declared as
disgraceful, a statement credited to some High Chiefs in Ibadan, who
were installed as kings by Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State.

They had said that they were responsible for the stoppage of Olubadan
salaries and would continue to withhold it until their kingship status
was recognized by Olubadan.

The High Chiefs led by the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief
Lekan Balogun had on Monday during a meeting at Mapo Hall, declared
that they were the one who withheld the salaries of the monarch and
not the Oyo State government.

But the Olubadan, while reacting through a press statement sent to
DAILY POST on Wednesday by his Personal Assistant/Director of Media
and Public Affairs, Mr. Adeola Oloko, said that "it would be improper
for any law abiding citizen to condone illegality and criminality by
conferring legitimacy on kingship without domain that is not
recognized by law, more so as the judgment in question has not been
set aside by a superior court."

Oloko in the statement stated further that, "the reservation of Ibadan
people to the controversial installation of High Chiefs as kings by
Governor Ajimobi is another matter, wondering how long the state would
continue to protect the individuals against the tradition and customs
of their people.

"The working tools of any Olubadan and his council remain the Ibadan
Chieftaincy Declaration, Oyo State Chiefs' Law and Oyo State Obas and
Chiefs laws, the embattled High Chiefs do not seem to have copies of
the working tools, going by their recent statement."

He added that, "by law, custom and tradition, the Olubadan is the
President of 11 Local Government Traditional Councils in Ibadan land.

"The embattled chiefs who are today claiming responsibility for the
seizure of the monarch's salaries are mere representatives of the
first class monarch and they occupy their positions at the Local
Government Traditional Councils at the pleasure of the Olubadan. The
embattled high chiefs were also informed that as the head wags the
tail and not vice versa, a subordinate does not lord it over his
principal anywhere in the world.

"On page 13 of the Western State Chieftaincy Declarations Ibadan City
Area titled Declaration Made under section 4 (3) of the Chiefs Law
1957 of the customary law regulating the selection of Ekerin Balogun
of Ibadan Chieftaincy, it is stated categorically that any junior
chief found guilty by a meeting of the chiefs who are traditional
members of the council of disregard, of disrespect to the position or
authority of the Olubadan or of a senior chief under Native Law and
custom may not be eligible for promotion to the (Olubadan) stool".

He added that, "Disregard or disrespect shall mean acts of contumely,
refusal to pay necessary customary obeisance and flouting of superior
customary authority. In other words, all these artificial kings are
simultaneously guilty by utterances of an act of contumely and
recklessness. None of these artificial kings can be promoted to the
throne of Olubadan behind the back of Olubadan.

"The Otun Olubadan, who calls himself Oba Lekan Balogun like any of
those artificial kings, must pass some acid test in the presence or
absence of an Olubadan of Ibadan, it is therefore necessary that the
High Chiefs who prefer to call themselves obas must be careful and
eschew reckless statement on the Olubadan as an attack on Olubadan is
automatically an attack on Ibadan land.

"The High Chiefs must remember that the Olubadan is the only one who
will never seek promotion because he has reached the top of the
ladder. All the others must refrain from shooting themselves at the
foot for their own sakes.

"The imperial status of the first class monarch predated the creation
of the so-called Oyo State Government Chieftaincy review as insinuated
by the high chiefs. So, the high chiefs were therefore referred to go
back and look at the Olubadan coronation programme of events printed
by the Oyo State Government on March 4th, 2016, Any student of
etymology would know that the word "Imperial" is derived from the word
"Empire", the historical foundation of Ibadan is what makes the
Olubadan His Imperial Majesty. In other words, the appellation
imperial is earned and not given".