The United Group of Friends (UGF), a socio-cultural association comprising indigenes of Oyo Town both at home and abroad, has condemned the recent amendment to the Oyo State Chieftaincy Law by the House of Assembly, calling on Governor Seyi Makinde to halt the process.
The amended law now designates the Alaafin of Oyo, Olubadan of Ibadan, and the Soun of Ogbomoso as co-chairmen of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, effectively ending the Alaafin’s age-long status as the permanent Chairman of the Council.
In a statement signed by UGF President, Segun Oke, the group described the amendment, which replaces “Chairman” with “Chairmen” and introduces a “concurrent” leadership structure, as a deliberate move to diminish the historical significance and supremacy of the Alaafin.
“How can the Alaafin, who in 1976 recommended that the Olubadan be elevated from Baale to a crown-wearing Oba, now be placed on equal footing with him?” Oke queried. He also criticized the amendment’s third clause, which affirms that although the Alaafin may preside over Council meetings, it does not diminish the standing of the Olubadan and the Soun as co-chairmen.
UGF joined other stakeholders, including the Oke Ogun Obas under the Alaafin’s consenting authority, in rejecting the amendment. Oke suggested that the bill appears to be politically motivated rather than rooted in cultural preservation. He also referenced the Palace’s recent disclaimer, stating that the Alaafin neither sent nor authorized the Oyo delegation that visited Speaker Debo Ogundoyin to express support for the bill.
The bill, titled Council of Obas and Chiefs (Further Amendment) Bill, 2025, was sponsored by five lawmakers, including the Speaker himself. UGF expressed disappointment with its provision that states: “The Chairmanship of the Council shall be permanent and concurrent to the Alaafin of Oyo, Olubadan of Ibadan and Soun of Ogbomoso…”
UGF also faulted the allocation of slots in the amendment, demanding that Oyo Town be granted five slots instead of the current three to ensure fairness. They noted that Oyo East and Oyo West local government areas were excluded, while other zones were given at least one slot each.
Calling for caution, Oke urged Governor Makinde not to resurrect the Council only to breed division among traditional rulers, recalling that it was dissolved in 2011 during the tenure of the late Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala.
He appealed to the state government to reconsider the amendment in the interest of cultural integrity, unity, and historical justice.
