Assembly Proposes Ban On Ogun Monarchs From Political Rallies

The Ogun State House of Assembly says it has proposed a bill that would put a stop to the attendance of political rallies by traditional rulers.

Olakunle Oluomo, the Speaker of the House, disclosed this Wednesday while declaring open the public hearing on a proposed bill on traditional councils, stressing that any politician who needs the support of a king should go to his palace to solicit same.

The bill is titled ‘Obas, Chiefs, Council of Obas and Traditional Council Law of Ogun State Bill, 2021.’

Mr Oluomo, who complained that the Yoruba traditional institution has been abused by some intruders, noted that it is a disgrace for traditional rulers to attend rallies with politicians.

The Speaker, however, opined that it is important to bar traditional rulers from attending political rallies so as to return the institution to its place of honour.

“They now turn our king to politicians; when they want to do a campaign, it is a must a king follow them which is not proper,” he said.

“You will see some kings in Ogun state following a governor to rallies; they will be following the governor to anywhere he is going.

“We call them kings and a king must be at his palace. When the governor or president wants to campaign, they should go and meet them at their palaces.”

“These are part of the things we are trying to correct and if you look at the number of petitions before the House and litigations going on in the various courts of law in the State, over 70% of such court cases are based on Obaship issues because of the lacuna and errors of application of the existing traditional council laws.”

Earlier, traditionalists and clerics had stormed the assembly complex to participate in the public hearing of the bill.

According to the traditionalists, the bill, if passed, would eradicate all traditional rites pertaining to kingship in the state.

But the speaker noted 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.

He said the anomalies had been creating difficulty on how to determine those entitled to the throne.