Traditional Tension in Oyo as Alaafin Loses Permanent Role in Obas Council
Traditional Tension in Oyo as Alaafin Loses Permanent Role in Obas Council. The Oyo Council of Obas crisis has deepened following the official inauguration of a reconstituted council that removed the Alaafin of Oyo from his long held position as permanent chairman.
The development unfolded on January 15, 2026, when Governor Seyi Makinde presided over the ceremony at the House of Chiefs in Ibadan and formally introduced a rotational leadership system for the council.
Under the new arrangement, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, was announced as the first chairman, a position to be held for a fixed two year term. The decision is anchored on the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs Law 2025, which replaced the former chieftaincy law that had preserved the Alaafin’s permanent chairmanship based on the historic dominance of the Oyo Empire.
The state government insists the reform promotes fairness, unity, and administrative balance among the leading traditional institutions in the state.
Tension escalated after the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade I, was noticeably absent from the inauguration, with the palace later rejecting claims that he consented to the new structure. Through his media office, the monarch denied holding any meeting with the governor or other paramount rulers on the matter, describing reports of consensus as inaccurate and misleading.
While supporters of the law, including the Olubadan, argue that rotational leadership resolves a leadership deadlock that stalled the council for years and refocuses attention on security and development, critics view the move as an erosion of cultural heritage.
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Traditional groups and legal observers have warned that the removal of the Alaafin’s permanent status may trigger fresh legal battles, as many believe the throne represents more than a ceremonial role and remains a powerful symbol of Yoruba history and identity.