Chieftaincy titles now tied to community projects – Soun of Ogbomoso

By Adejayan Gbenga –

The Soun of Ogbomosoland, His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III, has reiterated his commitment to transforming Ogbomoso into a model city through community-driven development.

At a town hall meeting held during the week in Ogbomoso, the monarch declared that those aspiring to chieftaincy titles must invest in developmental projects rather than offering material gifts or money.

Oba Olaoye, who ascended the throne less than two years ago, has launched a 25-year development plan, adopting a multi-sectoral and strategic approach to improve infrastructure, economy, and social services in the town.

“If you want to get appointed as a chief by the Soun, prepare to engage in community development projects. I won’t take money from you. Rather, you will spend the money on executing developmental projects for the town,” the monarch said.

He noted that there are currently about thirty chieftaincy positions available and even introduced symbolic ones like ‘Kosoye mo’ and ‘Oye tan’ as motivational tools to inspire contributions from the community.

Oba Olaoye criticised the tradition of spending lavishly on entertainment during title conferments while offering little to the town’s growth.

“People will give peanuts for chieftaincies and then pay musicians ₦20 million. But if you spend ₦40 million on a project, you may not have funds left for elaborate celebrations,” he stated.

Citing examples, he pointed to the ongoing reconstruction of the market at Oja’gbo, which is being carried out by a title recipient. “That is the idea,” he said, emphasizing his vision of using traditional institutions as vehicles for sustainable development.