Ladoja: My Ambition To Become Olubadan

A former Governor of Oyo state Rashidi Ladoja will succeed the late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Olakuleyin who joined his ancestors in the early hours of Monday, sources in the state said .

Family sources had informed the magazine that the late Olubadan died today just two days after he celebrated his 90^th birthday, adding that the state government will make a formal announcement concerning his burial soon.

As the good people of the ancient city await the next line of action form the government and the traditional institution, sources from the state informed the magazine that a former Governor of the state is next in line to the throne.

Ladoja will ascend the throne except the government decides otherwise, those familiar with the Ibadan traditional rulership said told the magazine.

As the Otun Balogun of Ibadanland, Ladoja who ruled the state from 2003 to 2007 has stated years ago that his lifetime ambition was to become Olubadan.

According to him, becoming the state’s helmsman 18 years ago was just an arrangement that fate had for him, because he had always dreamt of becoming the traditional ruler of the ancient town.

Recall that the former governor had few years ago rejected his appointment as one of the beaded crown Chiefs appointed by the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi, descibiing the position as an “elevated” Oba. Ladoja had argued that it’s an aberration to have other Obas in the town beside the Olubadan.

He would later accept the position after the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde signed the Chieftaincy Amendment Bill into law in 2022, which granted him powers to present beaded crowns and coronets to chiefs appointed by the state government.

After accepting the position, and installed as one of the coronet chiefs of Olubadan-in Council, Ladoja insisted that the position was just an icing on the cake for him, saying he still aspired to become the top traditional ruler in the city.

Ladoja: “Nothing has changed, you don’t mend what is not broken, it is not fair to elevate high chiefs to Obas, my focus is to become Olubadan, no lesser Oba.

“I don’t think it is fair to have high chiefs as obas. Who are you competing with? It is not in our tradition.

“Ladoja is not interested in wearing an elevated crown.”

If he eventually becomes the Olubadan, Ladoja will be the first governor of the Pacesetters’ State as the state is widely known,  to occupy the position and the fourth Olubadan during the tenure of Governor Makinde.