ANALYSIS: How Ladoja was ‘boxed to a corner’ to accept beaded crown he rejected

Finally, after being boxed to a tight corner, the Otun Olubadan of Ibadan, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja revealed he has bowed to pressure and accepted to receive and wear the beaded crown he initially rejected.

The former governor of Oyo State, disclosed this recently, while speaking on a Fresh FM Ibadan radio programme, ‘Agbami Oselu’.

High Chief Ladoja had been opposed to the review of the Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration by two governors of the state.

When ex-governor Abiola Ajimobi 2017, elevated 11 members of the Olubadan-in-council, including Ladoja to the status of kings (Obas) in Ibadan, following the adoption of the recommendations of a judicial commission of inquiry, inaugurated by the governor, Ladoja, who was the Osi Olubadan at the time, refused to be part of the process.

Governor Ajimobi had said his government embarked on the “review of the Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration in response to the yearnings of well meaning stakeholders.”

In July 2023, when Governor Seyi Makinde re-elevated 10 members of the Olubadan-in-council, following the state House of Assembly’ s approval of the governor’s request for an amendment to section 28 of the Oyo State Chieftaincy Law 2023 to allow traditional chiefs wear beaded crowns, again, Ladoja, distanced himself from the process.

However, in the Olubadan Chieftaincy succession arrangement, Ladoja as the current Otun Olubadan, is now next in line to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Akinloye Owolabi Olakulehin, Ige Olakulehin 1.

As the ascension to the Olubadan throne alternates between the military and civilian chieftaincy lines, the recent coronation of Oba Olakulehin from the military line makes Ladoja the most senior High Chief from the civilian line and potential successor.

However, Governor Seyi Makinde’s amendment of the 1959 Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration in 2023, which mandates potential contender for the Olubadan throne to be a beaded crown king, constitutes a hurdle to Ladoja’s aspiration to ascending the Olubadan throne.

Section 4 of the updated gazette states: “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.”

According to Governor Makinde, the amendment was in response to stakeholders’ wishes, including the 42nd Olubadan, late Oba Mohood Olalekan Balogun, who never hid his backing and support for the chieftaincy review.

But Ladoja had instituted legal actions against the chieftaincy review from the days of ex-governor Ajimobi’s administration and many argue the recent amendment spearheaded by Makinde was targeted at Ladoja even as pressure was mounting on the former governor to accept the beaded crown to facilitate his ascension to the throne when the time comes. Trapped and left with little or no option, save another round of battle at the courts, the Otun Olubadan yielded.

“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 no 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 stated in Yoruba.

It is important to note that before the recent exercises in 2017 and 2023, the review of the 1959 Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration has been carried out by successive administrations in the state in 1974, 1981, 1993 and 2000.

In addition, Ladoja, who was opposed to the exercise, had when he was governor, also set up the Adio Commission to review the Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration but later jettisoned the commission’s recommendations.