Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Ondo State Government has issued a firm and unequivocal warning to traditional rulers across the state, cautioning them against converting their palaces into detention centres or makeshift courts, and insisting that the era of monarchs ordering the indefinite detention of citizens based on palace decrees must come to an end. The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Olukayode Ajulo, SAN, delivered the warning on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, in Akure at a three-day workshop organised for traditional rulers by the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, themed “Repositioning the Traditional Institution for Harmonious Communal Relationship, Security, Cultural Preservation and Sustainable Development.”
Ajulo, who spoke at the International Culture and Event Centre, The Dome, Akure, charged the monarchs to exercise their authority strictly within the confines of the Constitution and the law, emphasising that contemporary traditional rulers operate within a constitutional democracy and must understand the clear distinction between customary authority and the powers reserved by law for the courts, the police and other statutory institutions. He stressed that the Constitution does not establish the office of traditional rulers as a “fourth arm of government,” but rather recognises the role traditional institutions can play in local governance and community development.
The Attorney General’s warning was triggered by what he described as a growing and troubling practice among some monarchs who have taken it upon themselves to detain individuals accused of various offences, ranging from stealing and owing money to insulting the palace or violating community rules. “An Oba should not order the indefinite detention of a person because that person is accused of stealing, insulting the palace, owing money, violating a community rule or participating in a dispute,” Ajulo declared. He insisted that alleged criminal conduct must be handled by legally authorised law-enforcement institutions, not by traditional rulers acting outside their constitutional mandate.
Ajulo urged traditional rulers to see themselves primarily as custodians of history and culture, symbols of communal identity, peace-builders, mediators and community mobilisers, rather than as alternative courts or government institutions. He stressed that the traditional institution was not an alternative court or government institution. He encouraged monarchs to identify criminal conduct, preserve peace, provide information and cooperate with the appropriate authorities instead of investigating, detaining or punishing suspects themselves.
The Attorney General also emphasised the importance of fair hearing in traditional administration, noting that a traditional ruler does not lose dignity by listening to both sides of a dispute. He encouraged traditional institutions to embrace mediation and customary arbitration where appropriate, but stressed that such processes must be voluntary and clearly distinguished from judicial adjudication. He further cautioned traditional rulers against using customary authority as a licence for self-help, particularly in cases involving alleged land grabbing, intimidation, forceful entry or illegal occupation. He advised palaces to preserve peace and refer such matters to the appropriate statutory authorities, including the Anti-Land Grabbing Task Force where applicable.
On the role of traditional rulers in security, Ajulo urged them to strengthen their role in the state’s security architecture by providing credible community intelligence to the government and security agencies. He noted that traditional rulers often receive information about impending communal violence, land disputes, kidnapping threats, youth mobilisation, cult activities, illegal mining, farmer-herder tensions and criminal networks before such information reaches government agencies. However, he cautioned that traditional institutions must provide community intelligence without becoming alternative security agencies.
The workshop, which brought together traditional rulers from across the state, was part of the government’s broader efforts to reposition the traditional institution for harmonious communal relationships, security, cultural preservation and sustainable development. Ajulo’s remarks were widely welcomed by participants, who acknowledged the need to operate within the confines of the law while maintaining their cultural relevance and authority. The Attorney General also highlighted the potential of traditional rulers appointed as Justices of the Peace (JP) to strengthen the connection between traditional institutions and the formal justice system, stressing that such appointments do not confer unlimited judicial authority but rather serve as a bridge for peace-building, mediation and lawful dispute resolution.
The Ondo State Government’s warning comes amid growing concerns over the abuse of traditional authority in some parts of the country, where monarchs have been accused of detaining citizens, meting out punishments and operating parallel judicial systems outside the framework of the law. Ajulo’s intervention is a clear signal that the government will not tolerate such practices and that traditional rulers must respect the constitutional boundaries of their office.
For the people of Ondo State, the message from the Attorney General is clear: the palace is a symbol of culture and unity, not a place of detention or judgment. Traditional rulers have a vital role to play in community development and peace-building, but that role must be exercised within the law. As Ajulo put it, the strength of the traditional institution lies not merely in the crown but in the trust reposed in it by the people. That trust, he warned, can only be maintained if monarchs operate within the confines of the Constitution and the law.
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