OPINION: OLUBADAN OF IBADAN CORONATION DONE AND DUSTED. IJEBU LOKAN !!!!

The entire Yoruba race and the world over, witnessed a colourful and successful coronation of the 44th Olubadan of Ibadan Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, a successful business and former governor of Oyo state.

In the midst of the fanfare at Mapo Hall, one will admire the deep cultural preservation of the title and the orderly transfer of the Olubadan stool, an enviable model of succession and traditional leadership structure. Before one becomes an Olubadan, one must have ascended twenty different levels of chieftaincy in Ibadan. This not only gives hope to all those on the ascension ladder but prepares them for the responsibility ahead.

Now that the installation of the Olubadan is done and dusted, we must pray for a successful reign of Oba Adewoolu Ladoja and peace in Ibadan land.

The next Paramount stool the world is watching keenly is the revered stool of the Awujale of Ijebu land and how the process will pan out, unlike the Ibadan structure which cannot be corrupted, the Ijebu royal structure like most kingdoms in southwest Nigeria is determined by a council of King makers and Ruling Families whose turn is to be, to present the king. Under this ruling family are several units of different family branches.

The Fusengbuwa Ruling family in Ijebu whose turn is to produce the next king has Jadiara, Tunwase Adesimbo, Bubiade and others. As the three months mourning period for the late Oba Sikiru Adetona elapses and the process starts, there are already rumors’ of certain money bags attempting to influence the decision of family heads to their favour, rumors of bullet proof SUV, lorry loads of rice and cash gifts are rife.

It is difficult to stop anyone from trying to use money to influence the process. The trust and belief for a thorough process most Ijebu indigenes like the writer have, rests on the shoulders of the king makers, which are made up of successful business men and leaders in their respective fields, who will not bow to external pressures or influences.

However, the ruling houses which are at the core of the succession, I opine, should be supported to put forward candidates that merit the revered stool, such individuals with a track record of contributing and partaking in the affairs of Ijebu land, and not a journeyman who is back to land when he learnt of a vacant opportunity.
In making the process less hazardous, certain guidelines ought to be introduced for those applying for the stool. This will curb and also streamline the process.
Criteria that should be used, but not limited to this include the following;

1) The candidate must be from the ruling House presenting the next Awujale and a resident of Nigeria.

2) Age: – the Candidates should be between the age of 30 -50 years.

3) The candidate must be known to be a successful employer of labour in his industry and not an employee or a trust fund child or in charge/ running a family business.

4) Candidates should have a record of community contribution and participation.

5) Candidates must be a member of at least one social cultural group in Ijebu land.

6) Candidate must present pictorial evidence of having participated in 3 Ojude Obas and must be an active member of Ijebu Regberegbe.

7) Candidate must have attained certain leadership roles in his Egbe. Either as a chieftain or a part of the Giwa in Council. The essence of this is the complex multidimensional personalities and profession in the membership of Regberegbe which is a miniature of the Ijebu society.

8) Candidate should have demonstrated leadership of groups in Ijebu land such as a Baba Egbe or the equivalent, which comes with massive personal sacrifice, financially and personally while also saddled with the responsibility of mentoring a generation of male or female age group.

Finally, after passing these criteria, the king makers should watch out for peculiar signs among the candidates, this may sound superstitious but in time past supernatural signs speak out for who the next Awujale should be.

This guideline will prune the lists and also assist the king makers in selecting one who is immersed in enterprise, Ijebu traditions, values and who is capable of leading Ijebu land into a future of unity, prosperity and pride. It will also stem the influence of moneybags from corrupting the process and put the Olori Ebis to task in selecting and presenting the best candidate from their units.
The guidelines might look unattainable, more like looking for a needle in a haystack, however the process of selecting an Awujale should be akin to looking for a needle in a haystack.

Taoreed Folagbade
A proud indigene of Ijebu land, and an alumnus of Ijebu ode grammar school