The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, Tuesday asked the Ibadan High Chiefs elevated to crown wearing Obas by Governor Abiola Ajimobi to remove their crown and to the palace as his high Chiefs.
Oba Adetunji stated this in a statement issued by his Personal Assistant/Director of |Media and Public Affairs, Alhaji Adeola Oloko made available to journalists in Ibadan in reaction to the allegations by the elevated Ibadan Obas.
The Olubadan emphasized that he has no objection to the return of the ” high chiefs to the palace once they remove their illegal crowns.”, adding, ” rather than engage in blame game, the embattled high chiefs who are understandably afraid of what is likely to befall them after May 29 when power would have changed hands should have been bold enough to apologise to the entire people of Ibadanland in particular and the Yoruba people in general for undermining our custom and tradition”.
“There is nowhere in Yorubaland where two kings sit inside a palace, it is always the king and his chiefs. Apart from wiolating our customs and tradition, there is no law that backs the wearing of illegal crowns in Ibadanland”, Oba Adetunji said.
The royal father stressed that he had expected the high chiefs to comply with the Oyo state High Court judgment which declared the State Government reform that produced the crowns as illegal, null, void and of no effect.”
Oba Adetunji while reacting to the claim by the high Chiefs that their efforts to resolve the crisis have been frustrated, said “what they do not tell the unwary public is that Olubadan should approve through the back door the crowns that the court has out rightly rejected.”
Emphasizing that “if the people of Ibadan want the crowns, he would have long ago approve it but all indications show that the overwhelming majority of Ibadan people do not approve it.”, Oba Adetunji stated categorically that contrary to allegation of the high chiefs, he had done no wrong nor acted illegally at any time there is no stay of execution.
Oba Adetunji who pointed out that despite efforts made to hinder the smooth running of the palace by the high chiefs and their promoter, they must begin to wonder why the palace had begun to grow from strength to strength noted that the ” high chiefs exhibited little or no knowledge of our custom and tradition when they accused him of installing Mogajis and Baales without recourse to them.”
The Olubadan added that “according to him, Section 22 (2) of the Chiefs Law, Cap 28 Law of Oyo State 2000 makes the Olubadan the Prescribed and Consenting Authority on all chieftaincy matters in Ibadanland,” and that ” the Olubadan-in-Council is merely an advisory council without any power whatsoever.
It will be recalled that the elevated Ibadan Obas in a statement on Monday claimed that Oba Adetunji was responsible their desertion from the palace and by so doing, for abdicating their responsibilities to Ibadanland.
