Contrary to the report that Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State will on July 7, 2023, promote 11 Ibadan High Chiefs of the Olubadan to beaded- crown-wearing Obas, it was not clear as of yesterday if the former Oyo State Governor, Rasidi Ladoja, who is the Otun Olubadan of Ibadan land will accept the offer or still reject it as he did during the administration of late Abiola Ajimobi.

Ladoja’s Media Aide, Alhaji Lanre Latinwo, while speaking on Sunday said that he could not confirm if the former governor would accept to be crowned an Oba or not, as he had not given such a sign since the issue of Chieftaincy Law amendment and approval by the Oyo State House of Assembly came to the open.

According to him: “I cannot say if Oga Ladoja will accept the offer to be crowned by Governor Makinde or not. He has not told me so. In fact, he is not around now.

“When he comes back for the Sallah festivity, he will surely confirm. You know he rejected it last time during the time of the Late Abiola Ajimobi, and he even went to court. I may not know if his decision would have changed or not. So, wait until he is around to give his decision,” Latinwo (a.k.a. Lambash) said.

According to the autonomy granted the governor by the Bill, he can now elevate High Chiefs to crown-wearing Obas to be addressed as: “His Royal Majesty”; Baales can be elevated to the status of the bead and coronet-wearing Obas to be addressed as: “His Royal Highness”, while the Olubadan of Ibadanland remains: “His Imperial Majesty.”

Late Ajimobi 2014 introduced a similar policy but did not carry the then Olubadan, Oba Soliu Adetunji, Aje Ogunguniso, and other stakeholders along, leading to a protracted controversy.

The monarch saw the decision as capable of whittling his power and authority as the Consenting Authority over all other traditional title holders in Ibadanland. The then Osi Olubadan (Ladoja) pitched a tent with the late Olubadan, rejecting to be crowned, while the incumbent Olubadan, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Lekan Balogun (then Otun Olubadan) accepted the offer and was crowned along with other High Chiefs, as well as, some Baales elevated to coronet-wearing Obas.

With the constitution of the Chieftaincy Review Committee by Gov. Makinde, New Telegraph learned that the sitting Olubadan recently wrote a letter to the governor, recommending that the 11 High Chiefs be elevated to crown-wearing Obas to add colour to his outings and add to the prestige of the High Chiefs who are most times ridiculed at occasions by lesser Obas from other Yoruba communities.

The shortcoming associated with Ajimobi’s policy was that he did not carry the stakeholders along before crowning the High Chiefs and some Baales, more so that he did not allow the House of Assembly to pass the Bill into law and approve it.

The Personal Assistant to the Olubadan, on Media, Oladele Ogunsola, confirmed to New Telegraph that the palace actually wrote a recommendation letter to the governor seeking the elevation.

He however said that he was yet to know if the governor had approved it or not, let alone being aware that a date had been fixed for the installation.

The High Chiefs expected to be crowned as Obas while still holding High Chief positions from both Otun and Balogun Lines are the Balogun of Ibadanland, Owolabi Olakulehin; the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Rashidi Ladoja; the Otun Balogun, Tajudeen Ajibola; the Osi Olubadan, Eddy Oyewole; the Osi Balogun, Lateef Adebimpe; the Ashipa Olubadan, Biodun Kola-Daisi; the Ashipa Balogun, Kola Adegbola; the Ekerin Olubadan, Hamidu Ajibade; the Ekerin Balogun, Olubunmi Isioye; the Ekarun Olubadan, Bayo Akande and the Ekarun Balogun, Abiodun Azeez. (New Telegraph)

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