On Wednesday, the Oyo state house of Assembly has passed a bill to amend the Chiefs Law, Cap. 28, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.
This passage came after the report of the House Committee on Local Government and State Honours was presented.
The Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin, hailed the passing of the measure as a positive development that would grant the governor authority over the Chieftaincy holders who are permitted to don beaded crowns.
According to the new law, the governor has the discretionary power and sole authority to decide who is allowed to wear beaded crowns without consulting the state’s Council of Chiefs and Obas.
According to reports, the state Assembly had on Friday, May 12, 2023, held a public hearing on the proposed amendment where opinions of all stakeholders, including traditional rulers were aggregated.
The bill was sponsored by the state governor, Seyi Makinde, as an Executive bill seeking to amend the Chiefs Law.
With the passage, the state legislature has now substituted sub-section (1) of section 28 with a new clause.
The initial provision of Sub-section (1) which read, ”The governor may cause such inquiries to be held at such times and in such places and by such person or persons as it or he may consider necessary or desirable” has now been substituted with “The governor may cause such inquiries to be held at such times and in such places and by such person or persons as he may consider necessary or desirable.”
To this end, former Clause (3) has now become Clause (4) hence the new Sub-section (3) now reads, “Any person who pursuant to subsection (1) of this section is elevated to wear beaded crown from Baales to Minor Chiefs who being a customary tenant shall continue to pay obeisance to his prescribed or consenting authority.”
