Former Oyo AG,Lana Warns The Twenty One Sacked Obas

Erstwhile Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General in Oyo State, Michael Lana, has warned the 21 Ibadan monarchs sacked by court to stop parading themselves as kings or risk being jailed.

Lana, who made this statement available to newsmen in Ibadan, the state capital, said it was contemptuous for the chiefs to continue to parade as obas.

The lawyer said: “It is a notorious fact that by the gazette Number 14, Volume 42 of August 23, 2017; and Number 15, Volume 42 of August 24, 2017; and Volume 43 of March 29, 2018, the past administration purportedly, albeit illegally, translated some Ibadan high chiefs into obas and purportedly gave them the authority to wear beaded crowns.

“However, it is also a notorious fact that the said gazette, being the only instruments by which this aberration to Ibadan Chieftaincy Custom Laws was carried out has, by the judgment of the Oyo State High Court, made on November 19, 2019, been set aside.

“For the avoidance of doubt, that judgment, inter alia, read that all gazettes affecting the Chieftaincy Laws of Ibadanland, particularly gazettes numbers 14 Volume 42 of August 23, 2017; 15 Volume 42 of August 24, 2017; 3 Volume 43 of March 29, 2018, and the subsequent elevation of high chiefs and baales in Ibadanland as obas during the pendency of the suit be and are hereby set aside.

It said that it was surprising to see some of the high chiefs acting as obas and wearing beaded crowns and coronets.

“This is even more pronounced by the advertisement placed in the Nigerian Tribune of December 25, 2019 by the high chiefs.

“Firstly, be it noted that this action constitutes contempt of court for which we shall not hesitate to institute proceedings.

“Secondly, the act constitutes a criminal offence under Section 28 (2) of the Chiefs Law Cap 28 Laws of Oyo State,” the statement read.