Many Battles of Olubadan Balogun

Kemi Olaitan writes that Oba Lekan Balogun who died last month, in his lifetime, engaged in battles before and after ascending the  Olubadan of Ibadanland throne in 2022

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Since the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Mohood Olalekan Balogun, joined his ancestors at the age of 81 after two years on the throne of his forefathers, it has been torrents of tribute for the departed first Ph.D monarch to occupy the highly coveted traditional stool of the ancient city of Ibadanland.

President Bola Tinubu, in his tribute, described him as exceptional king who used his ancestral stool in the service of humanity and a compassionate, courageous, and an unrelenting advocate of the pristine ideals of peace, honesty, and unity.

On the part of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the late monarch left enviable qualities, which clearly stood him out, including an impeccable record of incorruptible leadership. He said, ”His enviable qualities clearly stood him out as he left behind an impeccable record of incorruptible leadership, a legacy of forthrightness, thoroughness and unwavering commitment to public good. He demonstrated that politics was an avenue not for mindless enrichment but for rendering faithful service.”

For Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state who officially announced the passage of Oba Balogun on Thursday night in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, the death of the monarch was nothing but the fallen of a mighty Iroko tree. He said, “In Kabiyesi, Ibadanland had a cosmopolitan and well-experienced Olubadan, who made indelible marks on the sands of history and achieved greatly within a short while.”

However with the late monarch committed to mother earth last Friday at his Aliiwo family compound in Ibadan, observers in the ancient city believed that the former Senator representing Oyo Central senatorial district under the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) between 1999 and 2003, had his own share of controversy and political battles that he contended with before and after he ascended the throne of his forefathers.

As Otun Olubadan and next in line to succeed the 41st Olubadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, who died in January 2022, Oba Balogun was seen as the arrow head of Ibadan High Chiefs, who got into a long drawn battle with Oba Adetunji, over their elevation as Obas by the former governor of Oyo State, late Senator Abiola Ajimobi.

For many, he indeed was believed to have instigated the crisis between the High Chiefs apart from the then Osi Olubadan and former governor of the state, Senator Rasheed Ladoja, who deserted the Olubadan palace and Oba Adetunji.

The elevation of the High Chiefs led by Balogun to Obas by Ajimobi was to pitch them against Oba Adetunji and Ladoja both of whom dragged them and Ajimobi to court arguing that their elevation violated the 1957 Ibadan chieftaincy declaration.

Balogun while speaking at the height of the crisis on behalf of other High Chiefs elevated and members of the Olubadan-in-Council, accused Oba Adetunji of denigrating the council by appointing Mogajis (family heads) and Baales (village heads) without any recourse to the council.

“Kabiyesi Oba Adetunji has turned the institution of Olubadan into personal affair, which can be run at his whims and caprices, which amounts to illegality. Contrary to their belief at Popoyemoja palace that Olubadan is an authority unto himself, we are telling the world that Olubadan only exists with his council.

“We want to draw the attention of the people of Ibadan to some irregularities and illegalities embarked upon by the Olubadan. If Olubadan thinks we do not matter, we also can show that he doesn’t matter without us. He should not forget that, when he was to be made the Olubadan, he rose through the council. We (Olubadan-in-Council) made Olubadan out of him. He did not make us what we are, but we made him the Olubadan.”

Balogun was to face his greatest battle after the death of Oba Adetunji as the suit by Ladoja generated controversies that contributed to the delay in his appointment as the new Olubadan as the next in line. Makinde who was among the vehement critics of Ajimobi when he elevated the High Chiefs asked the kingmakers to discontinue the case they filed and revert back to the status quo before their elevation.

And desirous of ascending the throne, Balogun leading other High Chiefs was to listen to voice of reason and through their lawyer, Kunle Sobaloju, wrote a letter to withdraw their case and settle amicably.

The then Chief Judge of Oyo state, Justice Mints Abimbola, while dismissing the case, said the withdrawal of the suit by the High Chiefs indicated the termination of all litigation on the case, stating that the Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration of 1957 remained valid and any contrary declaration should be disregarded.

The case was eventually laid to rest and Balogun was crowned the 42nd Olubadan on March 11, 2022.

Becoming the Olubadan did not stop battle coming the way of Oba Balogun as he alongside other High Chiefs were to engage in skirmishes against Ladoja when the late monarch wrote a letter to Makinde for the elevation of the High Chiefs to Obas which the former governor rejected.

Makinde while presenting staff of office to the High Chiefs who were elevated to beaded crown-wearing Obas, at the Mapo Hall, Ibadan, noted that the consenting authority is the Olubadan and not the governor, adding that the elevation was in line with what the people of the ancient city requested.

He said, “We are here for one thing, the Olubadan of Ibadan is crowning his High Chiefs as Obas. It is not the government that is giving the High Chiefs crowns.

“I am not aware of the crown. I am not in the line. What is happening today is internal. If the royal father said there is a need for reform, me, as the governor, I will support them. Out of the 11 High Chiefs we have in Ibadan, 10 of them have been crowned today.

“Even in a democracy, the majority will have its way and the minority will have their say and we have had them, anyone that is not satisfied can go to court.”

Oba Balogun, in his address at the elevation ceremony held on July 7, 2023, revealed that the elevation was to reconstruct history of Olubadan stool to make it enduring and sustainable.

He said, “We are here to reconstruct history because, what we are doing today, as historical as it is could not be said to be novel, but the history has to be reconstructed to make it enduring and sustainable and hopefully, it shall surely be.

“We have a very unique system in our traditional set up in Ibadan which continues to evolve, responding to dynamics of demand as occasions may dictate and this has been confirming the agelong aphorism that the only thing permanent in life is change.

“In our responses to the changes over the years, there had always been issues on forging consensuses as arguments for and against always ensue which makes the ongoing controversy on today’s event a welcomed one being our familiar pattern and style in Ibadan.

“In short, whatever we are today in Ibadan as far as our traditional system is concerned are products of periodic changes we have passed through and there is no shying away from making this our own contribution to the system with the conviction that posterity will record us rightly.”

He noted that just like the previous exercise generated controversy, the event has not been spared as well with arguments for its propriety or otherwise, explaining that the fact that the issue refused to die despite the controversy that trailed it up to the point of his coronation in 2022, means it is an idea that has some merits in it which is worthy of embrace.

“It is sad to note that our people, especially those arguing against this exercise fail to note the differences between this current approach and the previous exercise as they cynically dismissed it as a repeat of what was done before, whereas, the singular fact that, Olubadan, as the prescribed and consenting authority of Ibadan traditional system originated today’s exercise among other changes are more than enough to change the narratives.

“This particular occasion is not for a long speech where one can go on educating the public on the imperatives of what we are doing here today, but suffice to say and happily too that there’s a consensus on the need for some of our Baales in Ibadan land to wear crowns and be addressed as Obas.

“Again, we all subscribe to the ancient fact and tradition of our High Chiefs being superior to our Baales and even, administratively, the High Chiefs representing the Olubadan as the Acting Chairmen in our various Local Government Traditional Councils superintend over the Baales. Would the Baales crowned as Obas be removing their crowns when going for meetings to be presided over by High Chiefs?

“We cannot do without reference to the indignation our High Chiefs suffer at public gatherings where they are usually denied their well deserved courtesies and treated shabbily, where an Oba of a community not as populous as my Aliiwo family compound is given all respect and reverence simply because there’s a crown on his head and addressed as ‘Oba’.

“I have heard people hammering the uniqueness of our Ibadan traditional system and painting the picture of trying to alter it with what we are doing with this elevation. Far from it. The system remains as it is as nothing changes in our succession plan and the titles with which our High Chiefs are elevated remain, both in nomenclatures and functions,” he said.

Oba Balogun allayed  the fears that the stool of Olubadan is losing respect, honour and prestige because of the elevation of the High Chiefs to beaded crown wearing obas, saying, “I don’t think it can happen or I don’t see it happening because the stool of Olubadan is a sacred one that nobody dares desecrate for whatever reason or purpose.”

“What’s more, today’s High Chiefs are tomorrow’s Olubadans and the law of what you sow, you will reap or the admonition of our forefathers that when you want to go and bury your senior brother nakedly, take along your younger brother (Eni to ba fe lo sin egbon e ni ihoho, ko ranti mu aburo re lowo) should remain our guide.

“Suffice to add that today’s programme is two-phased with the elevation of some of our Baales in Ibadan land to Obas as Royal Highnesses coming up as the phase two and at a later date. So, my brother Baales’ minds should be at peace and begin their own preparation for a similar outing within the shortest possible date,” he added.

This was not to sway Ladoja as he headed to  the state High Court in Ibadan, to challenge the elevation of his colleague High Chiefs to beaded crown-wearing Obas, claiming that the exercise was made conditional for any future Olubadan to ascend the throne, a condition he claimed would make it difficult for him to be crowned Olubadan when his time comes.

Ladoja in the suit listed Makinde, Balogun,  the elevated Obas, and the state Attorney-General of the state as defendants, asking for a declaration that the newly crowned Obas cannot again aspire for the throne of Olubadan, as they are no longer Chiefs.

As at today however there is no public record of whether Ladoja has withdrawn the case or not.

Though Oba Balogun has done his bit and joined his ancestors, analysts are of the view that while he was not shy to take a position at any given time, he was more or less a government person that wanted to be in the good book of the governor in power.

Indeed, many believed that when it mattered most he was either with Ajimobi or Makinde with the belief that the governor can make or mar his becoming the traditional ruler of the ancient city of Ibadan. Nevertheless time will tell his place in the history of Ibadanland.