Kingmakers in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State met behind closed-door, yesterday, for ratification or otherwise of the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Lekan Balogun, as the next Olubadan.
The meeting, which took place at the old Olubadan Palace, Oja’ba, Ibadan had eight kingmakers in attendance. But the Osi Olubadan and former governor of the state, Rashidi Ladoja, and the Iyalode of Ibadanland, Theresa Oyekanmi, who is representing all Ibadan women in the Olubadan-in-Council, were absent at the meeting. But Oyekanmi had in a letter last week, endorsed the candidature of Balogun for the throne.
The two-hour meeting which was held 10 days after the demise of Oba Saliu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso I, as gathered could not be concluded as expected as all the kingmakers in attendance declined to speak with journalists, who stormed Oja’ba for the outcome of the all-important meeting.
Daily Sun gathered that Ladoja, who is the second most senior traditional ruler on the Otun (Civil) Line that will produce the next Olubadan, is supposed to be the one to nominate the most senior chief on the line, Balogun, and the nomination is supposed to be seconded by the Balogun of Ibadanland, Owolabi Olakulehin, who is the most senior chief on the Balogun (Military) Line that produced the last Olubadan, Oba Adetunji. The two lines have been producing Olubadan on rotational basis.
But the kingmakers were said to have statutorily ratified the candidature of Balogun as the next to occupy the stool vacated by the late Olubadan.
The kingmakers at the meeting are the Asipa Olubadan, Eddy Oyewole; the Ekerin Olubadan, Abiodun Kola-Daisi; the Balogun of Ibadanland, Owolabi Olakulehin; the Otun Balogun, Tajudeen Ajibola; Osi Balogun, Lateef Gbadamosi Adebimpe; Asipa Balogun, Kola Adegbola; and Ekerin Balogun, Dada Isioye.
The Iyalode of Ibadanland, Oyekanmi, was said to be indisposed but gave her assent to the ratification.
Head of the Local Government Administration, Ibadan South East Local Government, Grace Aremu, was at the meeting as the representative of the government.
“Traditionally, when there is a vacancy, the next in the same line, after the person to be announced, is saddled with the task of nominating the next Olubadan.
“In the present case, Ladoja will have to nominate Balogun, while Owolabi Olakulehin, who is Balogun of Ibadanland, will second. This is so because Balogun cannot nominate himself and does not need to be present.
“After that, two documents — one affirming Balogun’s nomination, and the one containing list of the immediate three high chiefs in the civil line after the nominee, would be sent to the governor,” a source told Daily Sun.
