Ibadan – The Otun Olubadan of Ibadan, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja has dragged the Oyo state Governor, Seyi Makinde; the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, and his ten newly elevated beaded crown-wearing Obas to court over the chieftaincy title.
Ladoja filed the suit at Oyo State High Court, Ring Road, Ibadan on Thursday, July 6.
The new Obas were crowned at Mapo hall on Friday, July 7.
Governor Seyi Makinde had boasted at the crowning of the high chiefs as Obas that anybody that takes the matter to court will be wasting his time and money.
Makinde said the idea of elevating the high chiefs to crown wearing Obas was initiated by the Olubadan, and not the state government.
However, majority of Ibadan indigenes perceived the controversial elevation of the high chiefs to crown wearing Obas as an aberation and an attempt to damage the ancient unique Ibadan traditional institution.
Makinde had on June 22 approved the elevation following the recommendation of Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, who is the prescribed and consenting authority.
It will also be recalled that the governor last Friday, July 7 presented the Staff of Office to the new Obas.
The new Obas are Owolabi Olakulehin; Tajudeen Ajibola; Eddy Oyewole; Lateef Adebimpe; Biodun Kola-Daisi; Kola Adegbola; Hamidu Ajibade; Olubunmi Isioye; Bayo Akande and Abiodun Azeez while Ladoja, who had earlier rejected the elevation was conspicuously absent at the ceremony.
Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja had accused Ibadan High Chiefs of begging Governor Seyi Makinde to allow them the usage of their beaded crown, which they initially dumped.
Ladoja who clarified the planned coronation of the chiefs on July 7 with newsmen at his Ondo Street residence, Bodija on Sallah day, said it was a rumour making the rounds that he and other Ibadan High Chiefs would be crowned as Obas by the governor.
He said initially he had no crown before, hence, he could not be part of High Chiefs seeking approval to return to their former ‘artificial’ crowns.
Otun Olubadan had maintained that it was rumour that Governor Makinde wanted to crown them on 7th July, 2023, as there was no evidence to that effect, noting that the evidence available to him was that the other High Chiefs themselves wrote the Governor, begging him to allow them to start using their crowns, which were given to them by the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
He noted that Governor Makinde was yet to publicly approve their request.
The former governor pointed out that nothing had changed on his stand; that the only crown he wished to put on his head was that of Olubadan of Ibadanland.
While declaring that it was not proper to make High Chiefs in Ibadan Obas, Ladoja insisted that it was not part of Ibadan tradition for High Chiefs to wear a crown.
The former governor, however, faulted the plan by High Chiefs to return to their ‘artificial’ crowns, noting that it was only God that ordains anyone who becomes Olubadan.
“You don’t mend what is not broken. I don’t think it is right to make High Chiefs Obas. The only crown I want to wear is that of the Olubadan crown. Everybody knows that it is God that makes one an Oba.
“As far as I am concerned, it is not proper for High Chiefs to wear a crown. My intention is to become Olubadan.
“According to information available to me, it is the remaining High Chiefs that wrote Governor Makinde to give them approval to return to their ‘artificial crowns, which I don’t have initially, so I cannot be part of them,” Ladoja explained. (vitalnewsngr.com)
