By Akinola Emmanuel
When a king dies, another is crowned. When Ibadan mourns today, the ancient city celebrates that same day at expectation of another King.
Before now, the ascension to the Olubadan throne is predictable and not ambiguous.but this time around, the reverse may be the case owing few controversy especially between the Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde and his one time God father and former Governor, Rashidi Ladoja.
Ladoja is the current Otun Olubadan which made him the head of kingmakers.
While Ladoja and members of the Olubadan Advisory Council are to choose and ratified the next Olubadan, the bulk stops on the Governor Makinde’s table for final approval.
One factor that may be a very serious impediment to the timely installation of the 43rd Olubadan may likely be the past actions of the former governor and his not too good relationship with the state Governor.
Twice, Ladoja had refused to wear the Obaship crown claiming he’s only interested in the crown of Olubadan.
In 2017, former Governor Ajimobi conferred the title of obaship on some high chiefs and baales, giving them the right to wear beaded crowns and coronets and be addressed as “his royal majesty”.
The action was challenged by Rashidi Ladoja, the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland and former governor of Oyo, who argued that it violated the 1957 Ibadan chieftaincy declaration.
In June 2023, Makinde signed the chieftaincy amendment bill into law following its passage by the state house of assembly.
He subsequently approved the promotion of 11 Ibadan high chiefs to be crowned obas.
Under the amended law, the 11 high chiefs, who form the Olubadan-in-council, were recognised as the traditional heads of the 11 LGAs in Ibadanland.
Ladoja, one of the 11 chiefs, rejected the obaship for the second time and was absent at the coronation ceremony.
He subsequently filed a suit before the state high court in Ibadan in July 2023, challenging the elevation of his high chief colleagues to obas.
The suit listed Makinde, the elevated obas, and the state attorney-general as defendants.
In the new law ” the Chief law, cap 28, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000, which was amended last year and subsequently signed into law by Governor Makinde, the Governor is given discretionary right and sole authority to specify those to wear beaded crowns without consultations with the council of Oba’s and chiefs of the state , Olubadan inclusive.
Governor Seyi Makinde while signing into law the amended Chief law in May, 2023 said “The government gave coronets to some high chiefs. One of the High Chiefs went to court, and the state court decided that the previous administration didn’t follow their own law. Now that we have amended the law, we will follow our own law, and no one can go to court now and succeed.”
By the law, the state legislature has now substituted sub section (1) of section 28 with a new clause.
It also means any of the high chiefs elevated who refused in the first instance to wear the coronets may forfeit wearing the Olubadan crown because it is now a law.
Another reason why the installation of the new Olubadan may be delayed is the lingering court case instituted by Ladoja.
Ladoja filed a suit before the state high Court in Ibadan in July 2023 challenging the elevation of his high chief colleagues to Obas.
The suit listed Makinde, the elevated Obas and the state attorney general as defendants, and just like the case of the late Olubadan, Ibadan sons and daughters may have to wait for months before the new king emerges.
