Obasanjo calls for law to extend juridiction of Olowu
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for a review of any law in Ogun State that purport to limit the jurisdiction of Olowu of Owu in Abeokuta to Abeokuta North Local Government in the Ogun State.
Penpushing reports that, Obasanjo who is Balogun Owu stated this while addressing a collection of traditional rulers from Owu townshisps outside Abeokuta at the Owu Palace in Abeokuta.
The High Chief pointed out that from time immemorial, Olowu of Owu in Abeokuta has been and remains the premier traditional head of all Owu people settled in all villages and towns outside Abeokuta, particularly on the Abeokuta-Lagos axial road.
Penpushing further reports that, Obasanjo expressed disgust at any political action that would scuttle the natural cohesion and unity of Owu people as inherent in the law under reference.
The former President admonished Ogun State government for creating an unfathomable lacuna in the State’s Chieftaincy Law by the contents of its gazette No. 32, vol. 30 of August 11, 2005 limiting Olowu of Owu’s traditional jurisdiction to Abeokuta North Local Government.
‘This law, to say the least is an aberration to the natural law and rights of all the Owu people outside Abeokuta who look unto Olowu for traditional culture and heritage guidance’, he emphasised.
Penpushing also reports that, he told the monarchs that their appointment to administer their domains was intended to draw their people nearer to the seat of traditional governance and to fasten social, economic and cultural developments of their people, explaining that it would remain anathematic to misconstrue this laudable paradigm as a licence to isolate them from their origin where they all remain the subjects of Olowu.
“All the Owu Obas, irrespective of their grades, are subjected to the administrative control of Olowu from Abeokuta, as a sub-set of all inhabitants of Abeokuta and in the Egba administration” Obasanjo added.
The Balogun of Owu admonished the royal fathers in the districts to eschew egocentric or class distinction, among themselves, which could hamper their cohesiveness and obliterate the objective of their creation.
Penpushing reports that, the traditional rulers had earlier commiserated with Obasanjo (Balogun Owu), the chiefs and the entire Owu nation on the transition of Olowu Kangunere, Oba Olusanya Adegboyega Dosunmu, who has joined his ancestors.
The Towulade Akinale, Oba Olufemi Ogunleye speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers in attendance paid glowing tributes to Olowu Dosunmu who, he said, introduced a new paradigm of traditional jurisprudence into Owu kingdom, Abeokuta, by the appointment of monarchs into Owu towns outside Abeokuta, among other developmental activities.
Penpushing further reports that, Ogunleye extolled the Owu authority to relieve their subjects in areas known as Gbaalefa Peninsula from intermittent harassment by their neighbours who want to dislodge them from their inherited land.
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