Oyo ex-Governor, Rashidi Ladoja, declares end of rift, agrees to become Ibadan beaded monarch
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
Former Governor of Oyo State and Otun Olubadan of Ibadan Land, High Chief Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, on Sunday August 4, 2024, rescinded his earlier opposition to becoming a beaded crown monarch in the self-regulated kingdom.
Ladoja made the disclosure while featuring on ‘Agbami Oselu,’ a flagship radio programme on Fresh FM in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The DEFENDER reports that High Chief Rashidi Ladoja is the next in the line of succession to the current Olubadan of Ibadan Land, Oba Akinloye Owolabi Olakulehin, Ige Olakulehin 1, who was officially installed as the 43rd Olubadan on Friday July 12, 2024.
As a self-regukated kingdom, this globalised multi-lingual online newspaper understands that Ibadan has a unique and transparent traditional succession route to the Olubadan throne, which sees an individual – either from military or civilian line – from the lowest rung of the traditional ladder rise to the peak and ultimately becomes the Olubadan.
The throne of the Olubadan is traditionally swapped between the military and civilian lines, with the 89-year-old Oba Olakuleyin occupying the throne from the military line.
With the ascension of Oba Olakulehin, Ladoja is currently the most senior High Chief from the civilian line waiting in the wings.
However, a review to Section 4 of the 1957 Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration in a gazette issued by the Oyo State Government and signed by Governor Seyi Makinde since 2023, mandated the candidate for the throne of Olubadan to be a bead-wearing king.
Section 4 of the new Gazette states that, “The person who may be proposed as candidate by the Line whose turn it is to fill a vacancy in the office of the Olubadan shall be the most Senior Beaded Crown Oba in that line.”
Speaking on Sunday, Ladoja said numerous Ibadan and non-Ibadan people had mounted pressures on him to consent to becoming a bead-wearing monarch to pave the way for his ascension to the throne when the time comes.
“By the grace of God, I will become Olubadan. God has been merciful to me. My blood pressure has been stable.
“Anyone God destined to become Olubadan will become Olubadan. There is not amount of obstacles that they may put on the road, if God says someone will become Olubadan, he will become Olubadan.
“I will do what Ibadan people want. Everything is being determined by God. We have had many people who became Balogun that did not become Olubadan, we have had many people who became Otun Olubadan but did not become Olubadan. Omiyale and Kuye died ten days apart.
“It is a tough decision but the voice of the people is the voice of God. That is what the people want,” Ladoja said in Yoruba.
