Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala had on Tuesday signed the law which was passed by the state House of Assembly.

The law stops the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, from being the permanent chairman of the council and makes the position rotational among the Olubadan of Ibadan, Soun of Ogbomoso and the Alaafin of Oyo in that order.

The council’s deputy chairmanship also becomes rotational among the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Eleruwa of Eruwa, Okere of Saki and Aseyin of Iseyin in that order. Their tenure is expected to last two years.

But in a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting held at the palace of Alaafin in Oyo Town on Wednesday, the traditional rulers said they received the news with amazement.

In the communiqué read on their behalf by the vice-chairman, who is also the Olugbon of Ile-Igbon, Oba Samuel Osungbade, the monarchs said the “purported amendment cannot and will not stand the test of time.”

Osungbade added that the council had already noted over 10 fundamental errors in the said amendment.

He explained that the Alaafin would address the errors noted in due time.

Describing the amendment as an exercise in futility, the traditional ruler added that issues relating to the council were already in court.

He said that since the state government and the state House of Assembly were parties to the court case, they were not expected to resort to self-help as shown by the step they took on Tuesday.

The council also congratulated the state governor-elect, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, and other winners of the just-concluded elections on their victories.

-Punch