Eminent Ibadan indigenes including high-ranking traditional titleholders have been mounting pressure on the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Rasidi Ladoja to accept beaded crown as a monarch instead of being recognised as High Chief in order to deescalate tension surrounding the subject.

Nigerian Tribune recalls that the immediate past Olubadan of Ibadanland, the Late Oba Lekan Balogun presented crown to some members of the Olubadan Advisory Council which Ladoja declined.

Ladoja had submitted that the only crown acceptable to him is that of Olubadan of Ibadanland.

He later instituted a legal action which was later withdrawn to facilitate the installation of Oba Owolabi Olakulehin as the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland.

However, the issue has not been laid to rest especially with the new gazette on ascension to the throne of Olubadan that only recognises the crowned Obas as bona fide successors to the throne.

Though the State Commissioner of Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade had in a press statement debunked the insinuation that the reform is targeted at Ladoja, stakeholders are of the opinion that Ladoja should accept the crown in order to sustain the seamless process of selecting Olubadan.

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Ladoja is being persuaded in order to de-escalate the ongoing tension generated by the release of Oyo State Government gazette amending some parts of Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration.

The move as reliably gathered is being championed by notable community leaders, chiefs, and legal pundits who have been visiting the residence of the former Oyo State governor, High Chief Ladoja.

One of the Mogajis who spoke in the same vein prevailed on the Otun Olubadan to accept the crown contending that Otun Olubadan Ladoja enjoys enormous goodwill, having done Ibadanland some good and saved it from different chieftaincy crises.

However, some lawyers have insisted that some fundamental legal issues will have to be addressed in the new Ibadan Chieftaincy laws to put things in proper perspective.

A couple of Ibadan elders were also believed to have been working round the clock to calm frayed nerves between Governor Seyi Makinde and ex-Governor Ladoja.

All efforts to get High Chief Ladoja’s reaction to the unfolding developments proved abortive as his media aide, Adeola Oloko, did not pick up telephone calls as of press time. (Nigerian Tribune)

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