The Oyo State Government on Thursday said it had approved beaded crowns and coronets for 48 kings across the state.
Governor Abiola Ajimobi had on August 27, 2017 installed 21 new kings in Ibadan which generated controversy.
The action was challenged in court by various parties, among them the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Saliu Adetunji, and Osi Olubadan of Ibadan land, Rashidi Ladoja.
Ladoja succeeded in getting a court ruling which nullified the process of elevation of high chiefs and baales to obaship status.
The government said that the approval, which was in line with the exercise of powers conferred on the governor by section 28(1) of the Chiefs Law Cap 28, Vol. 1 Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, was taken after due consultation in a meeting with members of the Council of Obas and Chiefs in the state.
Among those who were granted crowns and coronets are the 21 kings that Ajimobi installed last year.
The government said the approval had been gazetted with the Oyo State Notice No. 20-67 of Oyo State of Nigeria Gazette No. 3, Vol. 43 published 29th March, 2018 and endorsed under the governor’s command by the Secretary to the State Government, Olalekan Alli.
The state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Toye Arulogun, said that 26 kings would wear beaded crowns based on the approval, while the remaining 22 would wear coronets.
He added that over 100 applications were received for beaded crowns from all the geo-political zones of the state.
Arulogun said that the consultative meeting with the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs was attended by 23 Obas and chiefs led by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, stating that three kings could not attend the session due to old age while three others did not attend for different reasons.
“After a thorough and fruitful deliberation, the consultative meeting unanimously stepped down the approval for six chiefs, promising that further approvals would be issued in due course,” he said.
Among those who will now wear beaded crowns are the Alajaawa of Ajaawa in Ogo-Oluwa council area of the state, the Baale of Oke’Lerin in the Ogbomoso North council area, the Onijabata of Jabata in Surulere council area, the Onigbeti of Igbeti in the Olorunsogo Local Government Area, the Ajoriiwin of Irawo in the Atisbo council area, the Asawo of Ayete in the Ibarapa North council area, the Obalufon of Sepeteri in the Saki East Local Government Area, the Oluigbo of Igbojaye, the Olokaka of Okaka and the Eleyinpo of Ipapo, in Itesiwaju council area.
Arulogun added that the meeting also approved beaded crowns for the Otun Olubadan of Ibadan land, Balogun of Ibadan land, Osi Olubadan of Ibadan land, Otun Balogun of Ibadan land, Osi Balogun of Ibadan land, Ashipa Olubadan of Ibadan land, Ashipa Balogun of Ibadan land, the Ekerin Olubadan of Ibadan land, Ekerin Balogun of Ibadan land, Ekarun Balogun of Ibadan land, Ekarun Olubadan of Ibadan land, the Elempe of Tapa in Ibarapa North, the Oniware of Iware, Onifiditi of Fiditi and the Onimini of Imini from the Afijio Local Government Area. (Punch)
