Families Now to Decide Burial Rites of Ogun Monarchs as Abiodun Signs New Chiefs Law

James Sowole

Families of traditional rulers in Ogun State now have the right to decide how their family member, who was an oba, should be buried after his passing.

This followed the signing into law by Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, of a bill that provided for how traditional rulers and chiefs were to be selected, appointed, recognised and buried.

The signing of the bill, was disclosed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Kunle Somorin in a statement.

Entitled “A Bill for a Law to Provide for An Approved Method for the Selection, Appointment and Recognition of Obas and Chiefs in Ogun State and for Other Related Matters”, the bill, which was passed by the State House of Assembly, sought to redefine the traditional institution to reflect the current realities.

The governor signed the bill in the presence of the State’s paramount rulers: Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona; the Olu of Ilaro and paramount ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle; Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi and the Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, who was the promoter of the Bill.

Among other things, the law provides for the preservation, protection and exercise by Traditional Rulers of their fundamental rights to be installed and buried according to their religions or beliefs and for other related matters.

Traditionalists had opposed the law and declared that it was an attempt to push cultural practice into extinction, but the Christian and the Muslim communities described the bill as “a welcome development.”

While signing the bill into law, Abiodun said it was imperative to review the existing law as the state could not have laws that were antiquated and contravened the fundamental rights of individual traditional rulers and what the state stood for.

“It’s believed that one of the unique things about this Law beside the fact that it is set out to improve the method for the selection of Obas and Chiefs, is the clarity that this law provides as it relates to the passage of our kabiyesis.

“This law seeks to improve on the previous existing Western Nigeria laws on where there had been ambiguity as it relates to how our kabiyesis will be buried.

“It states emphatically that the families of the respective Obas should have a say on how they are buried henceforth. It now allows the families to determine how our Obas will be interred and, of course, without prejudice to the traditional rites that are meant to be performed by the customary laws.

“Going forward, the families now have a say on how our royal fathers should be buried,” Abiodun said.

The governor, who described traditional institution headed by traditional rulers as the closest and oldest form of administration at the grassroots, noted that they had existed before the coming of the missionaries, assuring them that government would collaborate with them to deepen development in the grassroots, as they were reliable and dependable.

The governor appreciated the Awujale for his doggedness and persistent in seeing to the review of the law in line with the provision of the Constitution of Nigeria, as well as members of the House of Assembly for ensuring that the Bill went through rigorous exercise as it was subjected to public hearing, because of interest people had on how Obas and Chiefs were appointed.

While noting that the law was another step towards building the future, Abiodun said the state would continue to blaze the trail on laws that were in tandem with modern times and the socio-economic development, stressing that laws that were outdated and contravened what the state stood for would be reviewed.

In his remarks, Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Kunle Oluomo, said the bill passed through the toughest proceedings in the history of the House as it generated a lot of issues from members of the public, adding however that the lawmakers had done their bit to ensure that the bill was in consonant with the nation’s constitution.

Earlier, the Attorney General of the state and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Oluwasina Ogungbade, said the law which was the first in the Southwest, was put in place to further make the traditional rulers contribute more to the development of the state, expressing the hope that it would be a template for other states to copy.

Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, who was the Chairman, Ogun State Council of Obas, when the bill was initiated, said it was a great achievements for people as the Bill attracted a lot of attention from both Christians and Muslims and commended the governor and the Speaker for making it happen, appreciating the Almighty for keeping him alive to witness the development.

Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, said a lot had gone into the bill as things that were wrong had been put right, while the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, who is the current Chairman, Ogun State Council of Obas, said the bill went beyond burial rites of Obas, as it had put many issues bordering traditional institution in the right perspective, expressing the hope that other contentious matters would be amicably resolved with the new law.

Other dignitaries at the event included the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Akeem Balogun; Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Afolabi Salisu; Chief Economic Adviser to the Governor, Mr Dapo Okubadejo and other cabinet members.