Lawyer faults Oyo govt for crowning Ibadan obas in absentia
A constitutional lawyer has criticised the Oyo State government over the recent coronation of three Ibadan high chiefs as crown wearing obas in absentia. Governor Seyi Makinde went ahead with the ceremony at Mapo Hall even though the chiefs concerned did not attend. In a detailed legal opinion, the lawyer, Adebisi Adeyemo, argued that the governor exceeded his constitutional and statutory powers by proceeding with a coronation without the physical presence and express consent of the beneficiaries. He maintained that a coronation conducted in absentia lacks the essential elements of traditional and legal validity. Adeyemo said the move undermines established chieftaincy procedures in Ibadanland and could be interpreted as an attempt to politicise the traditional institution. He warned that such an action risks turning a revered cultural process into what he called a hollow political spectacle. The ceremony saw high […]
