The Salu of Edunabon, His Royal Majesty, Oba (Amb.) Adesoji Kehinde Oladepo, JP, Akinrinsa II, has faulted the establishment of the Osun West Council of Obas, describing the newly inaugurated body as lacking legal recognition under the Chieftaincy Laws of Osun State.
The monarch, who is also the Acting Chairman of the Ife North Chieftaincy Committee, stated this while speaking with journalists on Tuesday in reaction to the inauguration of the Osun West Council of Obas at the palace of the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, where the Oluwo was appointed the council’s permanent chairman.
Oba Oladepo maintained that the traditional institution in Osun State is guided by clearly established laws and government gazettes, insisting that no provision exists for the creation of a council of obas on the basis of the state’s senatorial districts.
According to him, the Osun State Council of Obas remains the highest recognised traditional institution in the state, with the Ooni serving as its Permanent Chairman as provided by law.
He explained that, aside from the state council, the only other recognised traditional administrative structures are the traditional councils established under the law and the chieftaincy committees operating across the state’s 30 local government areas.
He said, “There are only three recognised traditional structures in Osun State. The Osun State Council of Obas and Chiefs is the apex traditional institution, with the Ooni of Ife as its Permanent Chairman. We also have the traditional councils established by law and chieftaincy committees in all the 30 local government areas.
“Any arrangement outside these recognised structures has no legal foundation. There is nothing known as the Osun West Council of Obas in the laws or gazette of Osun State.”
The Salu of Edunabon argued that any institution seeking official recognition within the traditional system must derive its authority from the relevant provisions of the state’s Chieftaincy Law, adding that no individual or group possesses the authority to establish a parallel traditional council outside the legal framework.
He further stated that the newly formed council has neither historical nor statutory recognition, stressing that it cannot exercise any official authority within the state’s traditional institution.
“The so-called Osun West Council of Obas is not recognised by the Government of Osun State. It is not recognised by law, and it has no historical foundation. As far as the law is concerned, it is null and void,” he said.
Oba Oladepo also alleged that the creation of the council appeared to be aimed at attracting public attention rather than strengthening the existing traditional institution recognised by law.
He called on traditional rulers across Osun State to continue to uphold the established legal framework governing the institution of traditional rulers, noting that respect for due process remains essential to preserving the dignity, unity and credibility of the state’s revered traditional system.