Withholding of my salaries unlawful — Olubadan

The Olubadan of Ibadan Land, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, has described the withholding of his 11 months’ salaries by the crown-wearing high chiefs as unlawful.

He said their decision to release the withheld salaries was an afterthought calculated to prevent a backlash of their unlawful action.

Oba Adetunji, yesterday in a statement by his media aide, Adeola Oloko, said each of the 11 local government traditional councils is a creation of law and its operation is governed by rules and not by force.

He said it was in line with Section 76 of the Local Government Law Cap 78 Laws of Oyo State 2001 that he wrote a letter dated 16th July, 2018 to all the secretaries of the local government traditional councils where salaries of palace workers and Olubadan were withheld to suspend payment of fees and allowances to members of the traditional councils.

He said copies of his letter had since been sent to the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters as well as chairmen of the local government councils concerned to ensure compliance.

Oba Adetunji also said that as president of the 11 local government traditional councils in Ibadan land, he had the right to preside over the meetings of each council directly by himself and that he might resort to this.