The Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Saka Matemilola on Thursday, warned that anyone interested in taking up the role of a traditional ruler must have a source of income.
Oba Matemilola stated this while appearing on a programme tagged “Media Parliament”, organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun Council in Abeokuta.
He opined that the person must have a decent income.
Matemilola said that traditional rulers that does not have source of revenue resort to mischievous and outrageous act which included selling of properties, lands illegally.
The traditional ruler recommended that any person who wanted to take up the role must have a genuine and legitimate means of livelihood.
” I recommend that anyone who wants to be in this role must have a genuine, legitimate means of livelihood that will ensure he is able to sustain himself .
” Anyone who wants to be a traditional ruler must have a source of Income , an earning, a decent one
” Any oba that does not have proper source of Income resort to mischievous and outrageous act of selling properties , lands that does not belong to him
” That’s why you see a lot of these Obas selling lands illegally , getting involved in shady deals , that’s why they fell into these trap because they don’t have any decent source of earnings,” he said.
Matemilola also frowned at unruly attitudes of some traditional rulers.
He stated that some of these traditional rulers might have been giving the opportunity to be a king by compromised king makers.
” Let us ask ourselves, those who are saddled with the responsibilities of selecting or appointing the obas , how much have they compromised in that role .
” A lot of those charged with the responsibilities are compromised.
“It is something that the Egba traditional council have decided to fix.
” We have begin to carry out seminars and retreat for ourselves and we are also working with the government so that we know exactly the ethics of obaship , roles and responsibilities .
” By the time we do this retreat , then anyone that act contrary to the roles and responsibilities , we know what to do to those people
” We won’t allow such people to continue to rubbish this revered institution that people ordinarily respected so much,” he said.
The NUJ chairman, Wale Olanrewaju expressed gratitude to the royal father for the honor to be the guest at the forum.
Olanrewaju, with other executives of the council took the royal father round the council secretariat before the media chat, commended Olowu of Owu for accepting to provide solar light and other pressing needs of the council.
