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As The Next OLUBADAN Of IBADAN
+Why Sen. LADOJA Can’t Ascend The Throne
It’s no longer news that the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Mohood Olalekan Balogun, Ali Okunmade 11, has passed on. The highly revered Yoruba monarch joined his ancestors last week Thursday, 14th March, 2024. He passed away at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, after a brief illness. His death came after two years of reign on the Olubadan throne. He was aged 81.
It has also become stale gist that the late monarch was buried the next day Friday March 15 at his Ali-Iwo ancestral home, along Gate area of Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State according to Islamic rites.
What is news, however, is who becomes the next Olubadan after Oba Lekan Balogun. Which is no other person than Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, the current Balogun of Ibadanland.
Already, attention has been shifted towards Chief Olakulehin, a politician and ex-Officer of the Nigerian Army. His Onireke Jericho home has turned to a meca of sort since the demise of Oba Balogun was announced last week.
Top personalities, politicians, social groups as well as corporate bodies throng Olakulehin’s residence on a daily basis to pay homage.
As expected, the palace drummers have since moved from Ali-Iwo family compound of Oba Balogun to Ita Baale palace of the Olubadan to be, Olakulehin.
Oba Olakulehin will be emerging the next Olubadan from Balogun (military) line. He’s from the Okugbaja family of Ita Baale, Ibadan in Ibadan North East Local Government area of the ancient city.
Olakulehin was a federal honorable-elect of the House of Representatives under Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the aborted third Republic.
It would be recalled that Oba Olakulehin was one of the 8 High Chiefs promoted to position of Obas, during the 2017 Ibadan chieftaincy reform by late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
The chiefs, who made up of the Olubadan-in-Council, were all crowned as kings alongside the just passed Oba Balogun who was then the Otun Olubadan. It was only former governor High Chief Rashidi Ladoja, the then Osi Olubadan, who exempted himself from the promotion and fought against the reform.
The reform became a major crisis and even turned to a legal battle between the then Olubadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, Aje Ogunguniso 11 and the chiefs before it was later resolved.
The crisis also caused a kind of confusion when Oba Adetunji passed away in 2022 and some people insisted that Balogun and other high chiefs that were crowned by Ajimobi should have no claim to the throne of the Olubadan. They felt Ladoja was in the best position to succeed Oba Adetunji for his resistance to be part of the chieftaincy.
Of course, the whole issue was put in the right perspective and Oba Lekan Balogun duly succeeded Adetunji as the 42nd Olubadan.
Now Oba Balogun has joined his ancestors and the 82 years old Olakulehin is set to become the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland.
Let’s tell you more about the traditional hierarchical system of Olubadan throne as backed by the 1957 chieftaincy declaration. There are two lines to the throne of Olubadan; Egbe Agba (civil) and Balogun (military).
It’s from these two lines that Olubadans are appointed on rotational basis whenever death occurred of a reigning king. The system has been described not only as the most organized but also the most peaceful Obaship succession process in Nigeria.
Oba Balogun, the 42nd Olubadan from Otun line, ascended the throne on March 11, 2022 and died on Thursday March 14, 2024. He succeeded Oba Saliu Adetunji, who ascended the throne from the Balogun line and died on 2 January, 2022, at 93.
The next Olubadan in line, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin will ascend the throne from the Balogun line.
After Olakulehin is High Chief Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, a former Governor and the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland.
– Dare Adeniran
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