Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, on Monday, signed the controversial bill regulating installation and burial rites of traditional rulers in the state.
Traditional worshippers had clashed severally with monarchs and the State House of Assembly over the bill, alleging it was an attempt to erode the culture of the Yorubas.
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The bill was first presented at the legislature in the early months of 2020 and it scaled through second reading on March 3,2020.
Marked “State Traditional Rulers (Installation and Burial Rites) Bill 2020,” the bill sponsored by the Chairman, House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Akeem Balogun, sought to make “a law to provide 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.”
The bill was initiated by the Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona.
But the proposed legal framework was met with stiff resistance from the traditionalists in the state.
Daily Trust reports that the legislature had in June, 2020 fixed the bill for a public hearing, but it later suspended indefinitely following the controversy.
However, more than a year after the delay, the proposed legal framework bounced back in July 2021 in the assembly with slight modification to its title.
The bill was rechristened “H.B. No. 069/ OG/ 2021- Obas, Chiefs, Council of Obas and Traditional Council law of Ogun State, 2021- A bill for a law to provide for an approved method for the selection, appointment and recognition of Obas, Chiefs and Traditional Council in Ogun State and for purposes incidental and supplementary to them.”
However, despite stiff resistance from the traditional worshippers, the assembly passed the bill late last year and forwarded it to Abiodun for his assent.
Abiodun joined by the Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, the Chairman of the State Traditional Council and Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Adetona, the Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade, signed the bill into law.
The bill was signed into law at the private residence of the Awujale in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
In his address, Abiodun said the new law now empowers the families to determine how remains of monarchs would be buried.
He said “The traditional institution is the oldest form of administration and a very dependable and reliable one at that.
“This law was promoted by kabiyesi, the Awujale during his tenure as the chairman of the Ogun state traditional council.
“I believe that one of the unique things about this law, besides the fact that it spells out a method of selection Obas and chiefs, is a clarity that this law now provides as it relates to the passage rites of our kabiyesis (Monarchs).
“This law seeks to improve on previously existing Western region laws or where there had been ambiguity as it relates to how our kabiyesis will be buried, henceforth, this law now empowers the families to determine how our kabiyesis will be interned, will be buried.
“Of course without prejudice to traditional rites that is meant to be performed by the customary, but it clarifies and removes any ambiguity about the fact that the families of our kabiyesis now have a say in how they want our royal fathers to be buried and I think this is very laudable.”
Responding, the Awujale said Abiodun has guaranteed his reelection with signing of the bill.
He noted that both Muslims and the Christians “are grateful to him for signing the bill.”
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