Lagos Assembly wants Sanwo-Olu to regulate Obaship institution

Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to regulate Obaship institution to stem the tide of the proliferation of traditional rulers in the state.

The lawmakers also urged the governor to honour the traditional rulers before and after their death.

The House made the call following a matter of Urgent Public Importance raised by Hon. Olawale Abdulsobur Olayiwola (Mushin 2) during plenary on Monday.

Referring to the celebration that accompanied the death and burial ceremonies of Queen Elizabeth 11 of England, Olayiwola observed that traditional rulers in Nigeria are never given such recognition before and after death.

“Queen Elizabeth 11 of England died on September 8, 2022 at the age of 96 after 70 years in office. The burial is being attended by a delegation from Nigeria, led by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

“But here in Nigeria, we don’t celebrate our traditional rulers in death. An example is when the former Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi joined his ancestors recently. He was not celebrated,” he said.

Olayiwola, chairman of the House Committee on Local Government and Community Affairs, then called on the state Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs to celebrate the traditional rulers in the state, while alive and in death.

This was accepted by the entire lawmakers in the House.

In his comment, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa emphasized that while it might not be easy to honor all the traditional rulers in the state, first-class traditional rulers should be celebrated, while alive and in death.

The Speaker said that he shared the idea of celebrating the institution because nobody will do that for the state if this is not done.

“We should learn how to elevate our own. If foreigners are coming to celebrate us through documentaries, we should think deeply about celebrating ourselves.

“The Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs should fashion out how our Obas would be celebrated.

“Occupiers of the recognized thrones that have been in existence for many years should be celebrated because we have obas on almost every street now. Only God knows how many Obas that we currently have in the state,” he said.