Rita Odafe
Oba Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye, the Soun of Ogbomoso, received criticism from a lawyer for questioning the Chief Imam of the town, Sheik Teliat Yunus Ayilara.
Barrister Abiodun Amole, based in Ibadan, deemed the query as invalid.
According to Amole, there is no rule that mandates a Chief Imam to seek permission from the traditional ruler before traveling.
These statements were conveyed in a release to DAILY POST on Thursday.
The Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye had previously issued a query to the Chief Imam for going to Saudi Arabia for Hajj without informing him.
However, Amole stressed that the cleric is not answerable to the monarch.
Amole stated, “From a legal standpoint, the query issued by the Soun of Ogbomoso to the Chief Imam is clearly illegal and inconsequential when viewed strictly from a legal perspective.”
Amole went on to emphasize the constitutional rights of the Chief Imam, underscoring that no citizen is obligated to seek permission before exercising their freedom of movement as granted by the constitution of Nigeria.
He further referenced international declarations that also protect the right to freedom of movement, asserting that no one, including the Soun, can infringe upon this universal right of the Chief Imam.
Amole concluded by denouncing the Soun’s actions as unconstitutional, unjustifiable, and having no legal effect.
