Ibadan, Oyo State – Na Monday wey just pass, Olubadan-In-Council don nominate Oba Rashidi Ladoja as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland. E no shock anybody sey na for Olubadan Palace wey dem make this big announcement, even though the main man Ladoja no show up for the meeting. (Maybe he dey do one or two things, we no sabi)
Previous Olubadan dey get their nomination for the Old Palace for Oja’ba, but this new palace wey dem build na everything wey dey hot like jollof rice. Dem all gather, all the high chiefs wey don wear beaded crown, come make this matter happen. Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola, now don put Ladoja name for table, and e don catch second from Otun Olubadan, Oba Eddy Oyewole. Everybody agree say Ladoja be the new Olubadan, like na all of dem dey vex to be part of history.
Oba Ajibola wey get the mouth to talk, yarn for journalists after the meeting, say, “When one king go, another go replace am.” E no bad, e be like say na the tradition wey no fit change. Ajibola dey represent say, “We all don sign to make Ladoja our Olubadan. We go carry this news go give our Governor, Seyi Makinde, make e know wetin dey happen. After all, tradition na tradition.”
But wait o, you fit believe say e no good make Olubadan seat dey empty for too long? Na wetin Ajibola also talk. Dem say the late Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, dey come bury this week. So, no be this week dem fit coronate our Ladoja. Governor fit give am date one, two, or three weeks later, but we no need long wait. This Olubadan throne dey always hot, no time to cool off.
Ladoja no be small padi for politics. E come from Gambari village, near Ibadan, and if you check am, e don dey around since 1944. Na follow dem schools for Ibadan Boys High School and Olivet Baptist High School wey carry am give chemical engineering degree for University of Liège for Belgium. E come back to Naija, start for Total, then enter business and politics. E don sit down for governorship seat before, but dem impeach am for drama wey pass reality show. Later, Supreme Court come wake am up back.
As if say na small mata, Ladoja don become Otun Olubadan too last year, accepting beaded crown wey dem say na requirement to collect Olubadan title. E talk say, “By the grace of God, I go fit become Olubadan. My blood pressure dey stable; who God don assign to be Olubadan, na dem go be am.” Na so chieftaincy law change whey makadi only crown-wearing Obas fit grab the throne, and some people dey talk say na political matter. But, the government say na cultural reform, and we no fit face am how we wan hustle.
For Ibadan, succession dey follow civil and military lines for over 170 years; this one no wan change. The PUNCH talk say our late Olubadan, Olu Olakulehin, don join ancestors for July 7, 2025, and this one dey push for Ladoja’s emergence. Next thing we dey wait for na when Governor Seyi go give Ladoja in staff and certificate of office. Make we just dey watch as drama dey unfold, chai!
