Don’t turn palaces into courts, detention centres – Ondo govt warns monarchs

Ondo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Olukayode Ajulo, has cautioned traditional rulers against exceeding the limits of their customary authority by converting their palaces into makeshift courts or detention facilities.

Ajulo gave the warning on Wednesday in Akure during a three-day capacity-building workshop organised for traditional rulers by the Ondo State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

The workshop was held under the theme, “Repositioning the Traditional Institution for Harmonious Communal Relationship, Security, Cultural Preservation and Sustainable Development.”

The Attorney General urged monarchs to exercise their authority in accordance with the Constitution and existing laws, noting that traditional institutions operate within a constitutional democracy.

He explained that while traditional rulers have important customary responsibilities, their powers are distinct from those vested in courts, the police and other statutory agencies.

According to Ajulo, the Constitution does not recognise traditional institutions as a separate or “fourth arm of government”, although it acknowledges their potential contribution to local governance, peace-building and community development.

He urged monarchs to focus on their roles as custodians of culture and history, symbols of community identity, mediators, peace-builders and mobilisers of their people.

Ajulo stressed that traditional authority should not be used as a substitute for the formal justice system.

He specifically warned monarchs against detaining individuals or conducting criminal proceedings within their palaces, insisting that suspected criminal offences must be handled by institutions legally empowered to investigate and prosecute such matters.

“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,” he said.

The commissioner advised traditional rulers who receive reports of criminal conduct to help maintain peace, preserve relevant information and provide credible intelligence to security agencies rather than taking the law into their own hands.

He also stressed the importance of fairness in the administration of customary matters, noting that hearing all sides of a dispute does not diminish the authority or dignity of a traditional ruler.

Ajulo encouraged monarchs to promote mediation and customary arbitration where appropriate, but emphasised that such processes should be voluntary and clearly separated from formal judicial proceedings.

He further cautioned against using customary authority to justify self-help in disputes involving land grabbing, intimidation, unlawful entry or alleged illegal occupation.

Instead, he advised traditional institutions to maintain peace and refer such cases to the appropriate government agencies, including the Anti-Land Grabbing Task Force where applicable.

The Attorney General also urged traditional rulers to play a stronger role in the state’s security framework by providing reliable community intelligence to government authorities and security agencies.

He maintained that closer cooperation between traditional institutions and statutory bodies would strengthen community security while ensuring that customary authority operates within the boundaries of the law.