Ibadan Kingmakers Endorse Balogun as New Olubadan, Say No Judgment will Stop Him

•Disregard rumour, declare king-in-waiting

•Ex-AG maintains stance, warns Makinde not to be misled

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

Members of the Olubadan-in-Council, yesterday, announced their endorsement of the nomination of High Chief Mashood Lekan Balogun as the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanlandand, declaring that no court judgement would stop him from being crowned.

The decision came barely four days after the demise of the 41st Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, who joined his ancestors on Sunday at the age of 93 years.

But a former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Oyo State, Mr. Michael Lana, in a reply to a letter by solicitors to the members of the Olubadan-in-Council, called on Governor Seyi Makinde not to allow strangers to mislead him in the choice of the new Olubadan. Lana stated this against the background of what he termed prevailing legal complications.

In his letter dated January 5, to counter the one by K. K. Eleja, SAN; Professor Wahab Egbewole, SAN; and Adekunle Sobaloju Esq, Lana said it behoved Makinde, as an Ibadan man, to get the tradition of Ibadan back.

However, Balogun said yesterday that the Olubadan-in-Council was already working with the state government to sustain the current peace in the city and the monarchy. He urged the people to disregard any rumour seeking to undermine tradition.

At a press conference held at the ancient Mapo Hall, yesterday, the Osi Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief Tajudeen Ajibola, denied insinuations of legal tussle on the succession to the Olubadan throne. Ajibola urged the people to desist from carrying rumour that could truncate peaceful coexistence in Ibadanland.

Curiously, the Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland and former governor of the state, High Chief Rasheed Ladoja, was absent at the press conference.

Ajibola also cautioned those politicising the crowning of High Chief Balogun as the next Olubadan to desist from the act, warning that such antics would not take them anywhere. He declared that members of the Council, who were the kingmakers, had met and resolved that Balogun was next in line and would, according to tradition, ascend the throne of Olubadan. He also debunked suggestions relating to the health of the Olubadan-elect, stating that the negative media reports are nothing to worry about.

Ajibola stated, “Either we have been crowned before or not, that is irrelevant, they should not bring politics into the tradition of Ibadan. Twelve Chiefs constitute the Olubadan-in-Council, including the Iyalode of Ibadanland, 10 of us have endorsed Lekan Balogun, there is no judgement stopping him from becoming the next Olubadan of Ibadanland.”

High Chiefs present at the press conference includeed Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief Owolabi Olakulehin; Ashipa Olubadan, High Chief Eddy Oyewole; Osi Balogun, High Chief Tajudeen Ajibola; Ekaarun Olubadan, High Chief Amidu Ajibade; Ashipa Balogun, High Chief Lateef Gbadamosi; Ekaarun Balogun, High Chief Kola Adegbola; and Ekerin Olubadan, High Chief Abiodun Kola-Daisi.

The Olubadan-elect, in a speech, said in line with the traditional practices of Ibadanland, the Olubadan-in-Council had been awake to its responsibilities, and had liaised with the Oyo State government to ensure that every necessary step to sustain the peace of the city was strictly followed. He urged the people to discard any rumours and insinuations capable of disturbing the peace of Ibadanland, irrespective of the quarter from where such stories emanated.

While commiserating with the governor, residents and indigenes of the city on the departure of Oba Adetunji, Balogun said the briefing was imperative in view of the need to update the people on latest developments in the palace.

He said at the media briefing, “It is with gratitude to the Almighty God that I welcome you all here today in order to apprise ourselves with the latest development in the city of Ibadan.

“One, as a bona fide indigene of Ibadanland, there is a natural need for me to join you in commiserating with the family of the late Oba on the sudden home call of our Kabiyesi, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, Aje Ogunguniso II, the late Olubadan of Ibadanland.

“Two, by way of duty, as the Prime Minster of the Olubadan-in-Council, we owe the people of Ibadanland and Oyo State, in general, the obligations to inform and update you all on the latest developments at our palace.

“It is no longer news that our much reverred Kabiyesi, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, Aje Ogunguniso II the Olubadan of Ibadanland, has joined his ancestors. It is my prayer that the Almighty God, to whom all mortals shall return, will accept his home call, forgive his sins, and grant him Al-jannah Firdaous. May his gentle soul continue to rest in perfect peace.

“The good deeds he had done in respect of his dedication and commitment to the promotion and sustenance of peace and development of Ibadanland and Oyo State, in general, shall remain indelible in the hearts of our people.

“He was a peace-loving and an outstanding custodian of culture and tradition, who held on strictly to the principles of excellent leadership. He would forever be remembered for his consistency and tenacity of purpose in whatever he believed would advance the course of Ibadanland.

“He has come, served and had gone like everyone before him. And so will everyone at his own time. I pray the Almighty Allah to continue to protect the family he left behind.

“I also wish to commiserate with the Chief Mourner, the Execute Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Engineer Oluwaseyi Abiodun Makinde, and members of his cabinet, who had been privileged to interact and intimately relate with the late Kabiyesi to sustain the peace and development of Oyo State.

“There is no doubting the fact that Your Excellency would sorely miss the late Oba if only for his fatherly counsels on matters of administrative importance to the state

“My heartfelt condolence message also extends to the entire Royal Dignitaries of the Olubadan-in-Council as well as the members of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) on the sudden demise of the late Kabiyesi and I pray that the Almighty Allah grants you all the fortitude to bear the loss.

“Finally, I wish to commiserate with the peace-loving people of Ibadanland on the sudden transition to eternity of the late great monarch and I enjoin you all to remain peaceful in all your conducts in order to sustain our unequalled historical peaceful co-existence for which Ibadanland is globally known.”

Balogun, on behalf of the Ali Iwo family and members of the Olubadan-in-Council, prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul of the late monarch.

Nonetheless, Lana, in his letter, said as an Ibadan indigene, he had a stake in Ibadanland, unlike the solicitors, who were strangers. He disclosed that they were not solicitors to the Olubadan-in-Council.

Lana added that as non-indigenes of Ibadanland, the solicitors might not know that each of the Ibadan Chieftaincies, from Ekefa Olubadan and Ekefa Balogun, up to the Olubadan, had a distinct Chieftaincy Declaration made in 1957, which had not been amended. He stated that in none of the Chieftaincy Declarations, except the Olubadan, was the word “Oba” mentioned, neither was dual title of Oba/High Chief known under those Declarations or to the custom of Ibadanland.

The letter to the governor read, “My attention has been drawn to the letter dated January 4, 2022, by some learned solicitors, who claimed to be solicitors to the Olubadan-in-Council, in response to my earlier letter to your Excellency dated January 3, 2022.

“First, I know as a fact that they are not solicitors to the Olubadan-in-Council, rather they are solicitors to the High Chiefs, who were made Obas by your predecessor and it was in that capacity that they instituted Suit No.1/22/2020. I know as a fact, that High Chief (Senator) Rashidi Ladoja is a bona fide member of the Olubadan-in-Council and at no time did that council meet to appoint the said solicitors, its counsel, to institute an action against High Chief (Senator) Ladoja or respond to my letter.

“Secondly, I note that they stated in their letter that my letter was ‘self-serving’. They seem to have forgotten that I am, unlike them, an indigene of Ibadan, who has a say in the affairs of Ibadanland. I am not like them, who are not from Oyo State, not to talk of being from Ibadan. Thus, it is of no moment to them, if they mis-advised their clients to dig deeper into the grave of illegality. They, therefore, have no qualms if Ibadan burns.

“They argued that the right to the ascension to the stool of Olubadan cannot be eroded by the conferment of the right to wear beaded crowns, because at no time was any of them installed the Olubadan. I have never seen any argument that is so fallacious. The question they failed to answer, is whether an Oba can again be elevated to an Oba or whether in their own various towns, being Yoruba, their chiefs have dual title of Oba and Chief at the same time.

“However, Your Excellency will note, that, in order to cover-up the illegality, they conveniently did not mention that these High Chiefs have been elevated to Obas and that this elevation is the crux of Suit No.1/22/2020, which they instituted; they only refer to the right to wear beaded crown.

“Their argument, that some of these High Chiefs have been elevated at various times by the deceased Olubadan and approved by your Excellency, is a blatant lie. Your Excellency never signed any approval for HRM Dr Kolawole Adegbola to be elevated from Ekarun Balogun to Ashipa. The records are clear on this. The said Chief presented himself as Chief Kolawole Adegbola and not as His Royal Highness, Oba Kolawole Adegbola.

“His letter of elevation will readily buttress this and I challenge them to publish any letter of elevation signed by you and the Olubadan, in which Chief Adegbola was referred to as an Oba. If he had applied as an Oba, the Olubadan would not have approved his elevation nor would your Excellency have endorsed it. And if he continues to parade himself as Oba, his said elevation could be challenged in court as being illegal and fraudulent.

“Because these solicitors are not indigenes of Ibadan, they may not know that each of the Ibadan Chieftaincies from Ekefa Olubadan and Ekefa Balogun up to the Olubadan has a distinct Chieftaincy Declaration made in 1957, which has till date not been amended in accordance with the Chiefs Law and in none of the Chieftaincy Declarations except the Olubadan is the word ‘Oba’ mentioned nor is dual title of Oba/High Chief known under those Declarations or to the custom of Ibadanland.

“In Ibadan and in all Yorubaland, there is no custom or tradition that makes a person to be an Oba and at the same time, a Chief. The position of Oba is final and does not require further elevation, except as regard his class of Oba i.e from second class Oba to first class Oba. It is an aberration of our tradition to hold the title of Oba and Chief and seek promotion.

“No Oba under Soun of Ogbomoso has ever sought promotion to become the Soun; no Oba under Deji of Akure has ever sought promotion to become Deji of Akure; No Oba under the Alake of Egbaland has ever sought promotion to become the Alake nor has any of the Obas under the Prescribed Authority of the Alaafin ever aspired to become the Alaafin. Therein lies the fallacy in the arguments of the learned counsel.

“The question that needs to be answered by the said lawyers, is whether there is anything in the Declaration of each of the Chiefs, or under any law giving anyone the right to elevate an Oba. To my knowledge, the Chiefs Law has not been amended by the Oyo State House of Assembly and that law only makes the Olubadan the Prescribed Authority over high chiefs and not over any Oba.

“Therefore, by law, these Obas have no right to be part of Olubadan-in-Council as that body consists of High Chiefs simply and not Oba/High Chief. They, therefore, have no right to recommend any person to your Excellency to be installed as the Olubadan. Such letter to you is void and can be challenged in court.

“Your Excellency needs to know that these same lawyers instituted Suit not on behalf of Chiefs but on behalf of Obas and the first Claimant is HIS OBA SENATOR LEKAN BALOGUN so if they want to revert back to the customary law of Ibadan, where only High Chiefs can become the Olubadan, why did they not sue simply in their capacity of High Chief?

“Your Exellency, their said letter deliberately omitted to state the intendment of the Obas in instituting Suit No.1/22/2020, which was to set aside the Terms of Settlement, which nullified their instalment as Obas. In other words, they want to remain Obas. That being the case, where is it in the Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration that an Oba/High Chief can be elevated to the position of Olubadan or any position under Olubadan?

“Lastly, the solicitors tried to make a distinction between two nomenclatures that have no bearing on the title of Obas illegally bestowed on their clients Le His Royal Majesty and Imperial Majesty. I challenge them to show to your Excellency, which law bestowed these nomenclatures on any Oba. A king is a king: what was created by law are their chieftaincies. Nowhere in any law is any Oba given the additional nomenclature.

“Now, Your Excellency, it is in the public domain that because of the illegal conferment of Obaship on these chiefs, they started disregarding the authority of the Olubadan and they copiously disobeyed him, even in death, these Chiefs refused to pay condolence visit to his palace nor were they present at his burial contrary to the custom of Ibadanland.

“Your Excellency will note that under the Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration of 1957, this is enough to disqualify them from ascending the throne of Olubadan. That Declaration states inter alia thus: ‘Any chief from any of those embraced in proviso (a) above found guilty ……of disregard of or disrespect to the position or authority of the Olubadan… may not be eligible for nomination.’

”I, therefore, urge your Excellency not to allow strangers to mislead you in further desecrating our tradition and custom. Your Excellency, as an Ibadan man, it behoves you to get our tradition back.”