The Salu of Edunabon, Oba Adesoji Kehinde Oladepo, Akinrinsa II, has described the establishment of the “Osun West Council of Obas,” led by the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, as illegal.

The monarch, who is also the acting chairman of the Ife North Chieftaincy Committee, on Tuesday, faulted the inauguration of the council, held at the palace of the Oluwo of Iwo.

The monarch stated that no law permitted the creation of a council of obas based on Osun’s senatorial districts, adding that traditional institutions in the state operated under established laws and government gazettes.

The traditional ruler stated that the Osun State Council of Obas, headed by the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, serves as its permanent chairman, remained the highest and legally recognised traditional institution in the state.

The Salu of Edunabon noted that the only other legally recognised traditional administrative structures in the state are the traditional councils established under the law and the chieftaincy committees operating across the state’s 30 local government areas.

“There are only three recognised traditional structures in Osun State. The Osun State Council of Obas and Chiefs is the apex traditional institution, with the Ooni of Ife as its Permanent Chairman. We also have the traditional councils established by law and chieftaincy committees in all the 30 local government areas,” Mr Oladepo stated.

“Any arrangement outside these recognised structures has no legal foundation. There is nothing known as the Osun West Council of Obas in the laws or gazette of Osun State,” he said.

The monarch warned that no individual or group has the authority to establish a parallel traditional council outside the legal framework.

He said any institution seeking official recognition within the traditional system must derive its authority from the relevant provisions of the state’s chieftaincy law.

He stated, “The so-called Osun West Council of Obas is not recognised by the Government of Osun State. It is not recognised by law, and it has no historical foundation. As far as the law is concerned, it is null and void.”

Mr Oladepo alleged that the established council was created for public attention rather than to strengthen the existing traditional institutions recognised by law.

He urged traditional rulers in the state to uphold the established legal framework guiding the traditional institution in the state.