The Chieftaincy Tribunal

Key Responsiblities Of The Chieftaincy Tribunal

The Standing of Inquiry into Chieftaincy Matters in Lagos State is a fact finding Tribunal saddled with the responsibility of conducting inquiry and making recommendations to the Lagos State Governor on the suitability of the numerous candidates who had applied to the Chieftaincy Tribunal for elevation to Obaship status in Lagos

The Structure Of The Tribunal

This present Tribunal was constituted and sworn-in by The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu on Friday, 9^th September, 2022 in pursuant of powers conferred on him by the Tribunal of Inquiry Law of Lagos State 1994. It is made up of the Chairman, who is a retired High Court Judge and four (4) other Members drawn from the IBILE Divisions to assist the Chairman to execute the Tribunal’s Terms of Reference.

To assist the Tribunal in its day-to-day sittings towards the achievement of its goals are members of staff. They can be broadly divided into five departments as follows:

1. Verbatim Reporting Department: production of day to day records of proceedings;
2. Registry Department – handling all processes filed;
3. The Interpretation – interpreting witnesses’ testimonies in Yoruba language;
4. Administrative department– production of correspondences and recommendations and other administrative functions.
5. Revenue and Remittance – Assessment of the processes and initiating and confirmation of the electronic payment for all processes.

Its Goals And Guiding Principles

The Tribunal procedures are governed by state laws and existing regulations. The tribunal’s goals are to exercise its terms of reference.

By virtue of Lagos State Legal Notice-LSLN No 7 of 2003, the tribunal was constituted and published in Lagos State Extraordinary Official Gazette No 44 vol. 34 of 31^st December, 2001 with effect from 4^th October 2001, with the following terms of reference:

“The Standing Tribunal shall, with all convenient speed inquire into the origin and validity of declarations made by the traditional Chieftaincy Families concerning the selection of Obas and Chiefs in Lagos State.

And in particular it shall-

a. Inquire into the numbers and identity (names) of the ruling houses in every traditional chieftaincy referred to it by Ministry of Local Government Administration and Chieftaincy Affairs having regards to their ancestry and genealogical descent;

b. (i) Determine if there is more than one ruling house in a Chieftaincy family,    the order of rotation in which the ruling houses shall provide candidates;

(ii)   Determine which ruling house is next entitled to present candidate for a vacancy in a Chieftaincy family;

(iii)   Determine in respect of disputes to fill a vacant stool who is entitled among the contestants and who was properly nominated and selected;

(iv)   Determine whether or not the Obaship or Chieftaincy is traditional one which has been so accepted and derives its strength from history of many generations or a political one;

(v)   Determine whether or not the holder of the Chieftaincy is by tradition entitled to wear a crown or other paraphernalia of neural ruler;

(vi)   Determine whether the request for change of title from Baale or Chief to Oba or Aholu should be granted on the basis of the historical claim of such communities;

c. Inquire into Chieftaincy declarations in respect of which there are disputes and which area is specifically referred to it by the Governor, and

d. Make recommendations on the principles and the procedure for the selection and appointment of Obas and Chiefs in Lagos state”.

The Services Of The Chieftaincy Tribunal To The Public

• Detailed inquiry into eligibility of requests made by parties seeking creation, elevation and/or resuscitation of Obaship stools.
• Publication of notices in 2 relevant national newspapers inviting interested members of the public to submit memoranda on the newly referred matters.
• Interpretation of laws relating to chieftaincy matters to ensure consistency and fairness.
• Resolution of disputes on chieftaincy matters.

Core Values Of The Tribunal

Transparent Adjudication of chieftaincy matters

Contact Information

Address: Court 6, Block 6, Old Secretariat, Off Oba Akinjobi way, GRA, Ikeja.

Phone number: 08081313095

Office Hours: 8AM- 4PM (Mondays –Fridays)