Alaafin May Head To Court Over Olubadan’s Emergence As Chairman, Oyo Council Of Obas

By Akinwale Kasali

There are strong speculations that the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade 1, may head to Court over the emergence of Oba Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja, the Olubadan of Ibadanland as the Chairman, Oyo Council of Obas and Chiefs.

Last week Thursday, Governor Seyi Makinde inaugurated the Olubadan as the Chairman of the Council. But it did  not go down well with the Alaafin. Proof? He did not attend the event held at the House of Chiefs Secretariat in Ibadan, the State capital.

The inauguration followed the passage of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs (Further Amendments) Bill, 2025, by the Oyo State House of Assembly.

Governor Makinde had stated at the event that the Chairmanship of the Council will now be rotational among the trio of Olubadan Of Ibadanland, Alaafin of Oyo and the Soun of Ogbomosoland, with each one of them serving a term of two years.

It was  however, gathered from sources that the Alaafin deliberately stayed away from the inauguration out of what was described as “shame”.

This may prompt the Monarch to seek redress over the issue at the Court of Law.

“There is a tendency that the Alaafin will go to court. The late Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, also went to court. The late Alaafin was the permanent chairman of the Oyo State traditional council, and he stated this clearly in all his letters. Nobody challenged him”.

Insinuations from sources close to the Palace of the Alaafin revealed that it would have been shameful to the Alaafin if he had attended the meeting, as the mantle of authority would have been taken away from him without prior notice and given to the Olubadan.

One of the sources said that the current Alaafin is suffering from the act of his predecessor, the Late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi.

“During Baba Lamidi Adeyemi’s time, he was involved in Ladoja’s impeachment. Since then, Ladoja has been angry with the Alaafin stool but couldn’t do anything then.

“Now that he has become the Olubadan and Baba has passed on, he has decided to take it out on the new Alaafin. But he didn’t realise that this Alaafin is not that soft,” he added.

The Director, Media, and Public Affairs to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Adeola Oloko, has not issued a statement or reacted to the speculations that the Alaafin may head to Court and the alleged brewing crisis and supremacy battle between the Olubadan and the Alaafin.

Also, the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, had declined to comment on the matter, saying that “Capital no comment,” when contacted.

It would be recalled that less than a year ago that the New Alaafin was installed after the passage of Late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, he has been at loggerheads with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi over supremacy battle, most recently, the installation of Okanlomo of Yorubaland Title to an Industrialist and Businessman by the Ooni, which the Alaafin queried, saying that Ooni does not have the right to give such honour and title to anyone.

He said he only has the constitutional right to do so, leading to brickbats, with the Alaafin issuing a Seven Day Ultimatum for the Ooni to reverse such Title.