Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun has said his administration was committed to following due processes in handling chieftaincy matters in the state.
Adeleke said this when the Committee on Chieftaincy Affairs, headed by Rev. Bunmi Jenyo, presented the committee’s report to him on Tuesday in Osogbo.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the committee was inaugurated by the governor on Nov. 29, 2022, with a mandate to look into controversies surrounding the appointments and the installation of some traditional rulers in the state.
The committee was particularly saddled with the responsibility of looking into all appointments of traditional rulers after the July 16 governorship election.
The governor commended the committee for delivering its report timeously and promised to study the report and also implement the recommendations contained therein.
Adeleke said that the committee’s report when implemented would enhance the peaceful coexistence among the people of the state, particularly as it regards chieftaincy matters.
“My Administration will ensure total respect for rule of law and due process,” the governor said.
Presenting the report, Jenyo, said that his members discharged their duties with equity, fairness, and justice without compromising on its mandates.
He said the committee came up with far-reaching recommendations to assist the state government to make a future decision in the area of chieftaincy matters.
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“My leadership has done justice to the chieftaincy tussle within Osun, especially with respect to the terms of reference on chieftaincy issues and installation of obas between July 17 and Nov. 26.
“We investigated. We attended to petitions and looked at them critically because we believe in equity and fairness for all involved. We had over 1000 petitions on chieftaincy matters in Osun.
“Also, over 200 interviews were held with individuals including kingmakers of all affected communities especially in Igbajo in Boluwaduro Local Government Area, Iree in Boripe, and Ikirun in Ifelodun Local Government Areas.
“These are three volatile towns that were badly affected during the crisis. We looked at critical issues and we advised the government on what to do and how to do it in a legal way.
“We were not sentimental; neither did we attend to issues with prejudice, we were just and God fearing,’’ Jenyo said.
He said that some of the individuals invited did not turn up, but due to the three weeks period given to the committee to submit its report, it could not wait endlessly for these individuals.
Jenyo said his team in the course of their assignment, revisited the Bola Ige memo of 1983 in the archives.
Present at the event were the Deputy Governor, Mr. Kola Adewusi, the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Teslim Igbalaye, the Head of Service, Mr. Samuel Aina, and a national leader of the PDP, Prof. Wale Oladipo.
Also in attendance was the PDP, Osun West Senatorial candidate, Mr. Lere Oyewumi, among others.
