What You Need To Know About Tension Over Olubadan of Ibadan: the facts and figures
The Late Abiola Ajimobi is the architect of the current traditional brouhaha in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. He has the blame for disrupting the system in 2017 to now cause tension in the city. When he was doing the wrongs, little did he know that he would not be alive to see the aftermaths of his actions.
Ibadan has a unique method of choosing its king, the Olubadan of Ibadan. When one is on the throne steering the affairs of the city, the next person to ascend the ancient throne already knows himself. And while the family of a passing king is mourning, there is joy in another family. And that has been the situation for hundreds of years.
In 2017, the late politician decided to crown some of the chiefs and elevated them to the rank of kings. Crowns were made for them to wear when they were outside the palace of Olubadan, who is superior to them. But another former governor, Rasheed Ladoja decided that he wouldn’t take the “fake” crown and that he would rather wait for his turn to wear the Olubadan crown. Other high chiefs keyed in and got Ajimobi’s crown.
Ladoja dragged the other chiefs to court and he won. The state government appealed. That was when Oba Adetunji, (Aje Ogungunniso) joined his ancestors. A debate started after his demise as to whether the next person, Lekan Balogun was qualified to become Olubadan having accepted Ajimobi’s crown.
The matter was settled out of court and Balogun became Olubadan even though he spent barely two years on the throne. Meanwhile, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde on the appeal of the 42nd Olubadan (Lekan Balogun) gave crowns to 13 high chiefs. A reluctant governor gave crowns to chiefs on the instructions of the Olubadan unlike in the case of Ajimobi who was willing but opposed to by Oba Adetunji Aje Ogungunniso.
Upon the demise of Lekan Balogun earlier this year, the next person is Owolabi Olakulehin (Balogun Olubadan). There are two lines vying for Olubadan: the Otun and Balogun line. The Late Lekan Balogun came from the Otun line and Ladoja was immediately behind him. It’s now the turn of the Balogun line to produce the Olubadan.
As contained in the 1957 Chieftaincy Declaration, the most senior in the line that’s not producing the king would summon a meeting of the kingmakers and announce the selection of the new king. The most senior in Otun line is Rasheed Ladoja.
He has summoned a meeting after the demise of Lekan Balogun. But the other chiefs (kingmakers) snubbed his call saying that he is their junior because he’s not wearing a crown. The crowns they put on, according to them, have made them superior to him (Ladoja). And any meeting the other chiefs make without Ladoja is null and void.
Within 21 days of the death of the last king, a new one is expected to ascend the throne. There is no politics involved. Meanwhile, suffice to say, Ladoja headed to the court for yet another time when Makinde crowned the 11 chiefs. He went to challenge it because he thought that it violated the provisions in the declaration. That (maybe partly) made the other high chiefs ostricized former governor Rasheed Ladoja.
There were rumours that the incoming Olubadan, Owolabi Olakulehin, is too old and incapable of taking up the responsibility. It got to a head when he failed to make some appearances. However, that’s been sorted now. He has appeared in a video and photos are still circulating.
What next? There’s still rift between Rasheed Ladoja on one part and the high chiefs (who wear crowns) on the other part.
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