Ibadan – Lawyers on Wednesday reacted to the position of the Oyo State Government ordering the nine elevated Ibadan High Chiefs to undergo mandatory medical and security checks.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the order had met with stiff resistance by the chiefs who insisted that the directive was uncalled for.
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NAN also reports that inspite of Tuesday’s intervention by some elders in the state to resolve the face-off, a government statement had insisted that the elevated chiefs must comply with the order for them to be confirmed.
The statement said the government had deferred to the wise counsel of the elders and had given provisional consent to the promotion of the chiefs, pending their compliance with the extant chiefs’ law.
Ajimobi, according to the statement, insisted that due process must still be followed as contained in the letter written to the Olubadan in Council by Mr Zaccheaus Jayeola, the Director of Chieftaincy Matters in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
It would be recalled that Sen. Rashidi Ladoja and eight other Ibadan chiefs were on Friday elevated by the Olubadan-in-Council, a move which the state government claimed did not follow due process.
But in an interview with NAN in Ibadan, a lawyer, Idris Openiyi, said the Olubadan-in-Council had been saddled with the responsibility of elevating worthy persons to the position of Ibadan High Chiefs.
Openiyi said that the introduction of medical tests and security checks by the DSS for an already serving chief being elevated was unnecessary.
“Section 14 (2) of the Chiefs Law of Oyo State that the administration was quoting talks about appointments and it prohibits appointing someone adjudged to be of unsound mind.
“ The section is irrelevant for those on promotion or elevation.
“These people have been appointed some years ago into part two chieftaincy and the appointment cannot be reversed.
“ The next stage after appointment is promotion which is the responsibility of the Olubadan-in-Council,’’ he said.
Another lawyer, Akin Aiyedun, described the position of the state government as strange, saying it was not backed by law.
“ There was never a time in the history of Ibadanland that a person would be elevated and government would be asking him to conduct a medical test or undergo security screening,’’ Aiyedun said.
Bolaji Agoro, on his part, said government had powers with regards to appointment of chiefs in line with the extant Chiefs’ Law.
The legal practitioner, however, said that the powers of the government was “ just nominal, ’’ especially under Ibadan traditional system where there was a procedure to be followed before becoming a high chief.
“ Occupying the position of chief in Ibadan is by shifting; this means that when there is a vacancy, the next person in rank moves to occupy it.
“ The government can only have a role to play by receiving the information from the Olubadan-in-Council since it is not a member of the council,’’ he said.(NAN)