The Olowa of Igbara-Oke kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba Francis Adefarakanmi Agbede, Ilufemiloye, (Ogidi III), has called the attention of the Ondo State House of Assembly to the division created by Obas in Ondo State. The monarch made this presentation when the Members of the Ondo State House of Assembly paid a courtesy visit to his palace in Igbara-Oke.

He said this division cannot be justified by law or by equity, that it has been a long issue that there are two divisions in the Council of Obas in Ondo State, and this has made some Obas in the State to be relegated into insignificant positions. He said the Statutory Committee raised by practice or direction cannot be justify.

According to him, this Statutory Committee has deprived many Obas from enjoying their traditional rights and privileges, as many are being excluded from important social gatherings, and their fate are determined by the members of the Statutory Committee.

The monarch who spoke on behalf of the Ifedore Local Government Obas, said the whole of Ifedore Local Government does not have a Grade “A” Oba, whereas some local governments have three and four Grade “A” Obas. He said this inequality situation is also prevailing in both Akure North and Ondo East Local Governments.

He said there had been three Grade “A” Obas in Ondo Central Senatorial District before the creation of Ondo State in 1976. According to the monarch, this number has not increased up till the moment, and now there are ten Grade “A” Obas in each of the North and South Senatorial District of Ondo State.

The monarch who had earlier expressed his profound gratitude for the visit said he was delighted to have in his palace the Honourable Speaker, his Deputy, and other Principal Officers of the Assembly. He therefore appealed to them to help look into the matter for justice to prevail, because for a viable Statutory Committees of Obas in Ondo State, each Local Government must be equally represented.

Also speaking, the Onibuji of Ibuji Land, His Royal Majesty, Oba Folagbade Ojo, he said Ifedore Local Government deserved to have Grade “A” Obas, particularly, the Olowa of Igbara-Oke kingdom has been long overdue for this grading. According to him, the Olowa of Igbara-Oke Chieftaincy title had been in Grade ‘B” for more than three decades, even records has it that the Alara and Olujare Chieftaincy titles all met him in Grade “B” when the duo were upgraded during the Adeloye Commission of Enquiry on Chieftaincy in 2004.

In his response, the Honourable Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Bamidele Oleyelogun appreciated the Olowa of Igbara-Oke for receiving the leadership and members of the 8th Assembly of our dear Sunshine State into his Palace. He said this would the first time in the history of Ondo State that a monarch would host the entire members of the Ondo State House of Assembly.

He also commended the fatherly role the Olowa of Igbara-Oke had been playing as a preeminent Oba in the State at ensuring peace in the entire Ifedore Local Government.

Rt. Hon Oleyelogun reiterate the commitment of the Ondo State House of Assembly at ensuring prompt action to this kind of issue as it affect the traditional rulers, because they are the custodian of culture and traditions. According to him, the matter will be presented at the floor of the House of Assembly during plenary to discuss and ensure equality of the processes. He therefore appreciate every Obas present, and assure them of his continuous support toward the development of the traditional institutions, and called on them to continue to support the administration of Arakurin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, in his course at bringing development to every facet of human endeavours.