No traditional ruler has right to paramountcy claim in Ondo — Ondo Govt

By Akintunde Jacobs, Akure

The Ondo State Government has declared that no traditional ruler in the state has the right to paramountcy claim, revealing that paramountcy is not part of the Chief’s Law of Ondo State.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Charles Titiloye, declared this on Monday in Akure on behalf of the State Government at a press conference while releasing the White Paper on the Justice C.E.T. Ajama (rtd) Judicial Commission of Inquiry on Chieftaincy Matters.

According to Titiloye, “Government is in receipt of the recommendation of the commission of paramountcy of some traditional rulers in the state. Government notes that paramountcy is not part of the Chiefs Law of Ondo state. Consequently, Government has directed the office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to set machinery in motion for the amendment of the Chiefs Law of Ondo State in order to accommodate this recommendation.”

Titiloye disclosed that the immediate past administration under Dr. Olusegun Mimiko instituted the commission on January 30, 2015 to attend to recognition, adjustment, upgrading and elevation of chieftaincy stools in the state.

He added that the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu-led administration set up a six-man committee at the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting held on January 12, 2022 to review the recommendations made by Justice Ajama Commission.

He noted that the new committee set up by the present administration which was led by the Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa reviewed it and prepared the government White Paper on the report, settling 51 dispute chieftaincy stools across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, who disclosed that the new report was received on August 24, 2022, said the SEC directed that its decisions on the recommendation should be published in Government White Paper.

“Government is hopeful that this exhaustive consideration and review of chieftaincy matters in the state will bring peace, unity and progress to our various communities.

“Government hereby assures the public that the review of chieftaincy matters will be a continuous exercise and requests or issues that have not been looked in this white paper will be considered in the future,” Titiloye said.

Amongst the new stools are Olurokun of Irokun, Osolo of Isolo, Osowa of Ugboroko, while government accepted the recommendations on Akure and Arogbo-Ijaw High Chiefs that are classed as Grade C Obas, and to receive staff of office soon.

He mentioned that 42 Grade C Obas were moved to Grade B but for Owa-Ale of Iyo-mefa, Ikare; Ajana of Afa Oke-Agbe, Olumoru of Imoru, Ojomo of Ijebu-Owo, Elemure of Emure-Ile and Moporure of Agerige were elevated to Grade A, while Oloba of Uso and Niyon of Kiribo remained in Grade C.

Also, out of 20 Grade B obas, 16 including Orunja of Odigbo, Olupele of Ipele and Olujare of Ijare were elevated to Grade A; but Olupe of Ipe, Oloba of Oba-Akoko, Ojima of Okeluse and three others remained in Grade B.

The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Akinwumi Sowore, who also spoke on the development, therefore, lauded Governor Akeredolu and stakeholders for painstakingly addressing the chieftaincy crises in the state.