Ladoja disagrees with Makinde’s proposal to promote high chiefs

On Wednesday, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja, a former governor of Oyo State and the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, broke his silence regarding the promotion of 11 High Chiefs to the position of beaded crown Oba, declaring that he was not interested in any other crown besides the Olubadan of Ibadanland.

According to the letter written to the governor by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, Governor Seyi Makinde had approved the promotion of 11 Ibadan High Chiefs to beaded crown Obas, and we had exclusively reported that. Their tentative installation date was set for Friday, July 7.

Ashipa Olubadan, Biodun Kola-Daisi, Ashipa Balogun, Kola Adegbola, Ekerin Olubadan, Hamidu Ajibade, Ekerin Balogun, Olubunmi Isioye, Ekarun Olubadan, Bayo Akande, and Otun Balogun, Tajudeen Ajibola are the other High Chiefs who will be elevated.

However, after attending Eid prayers at the University of Ibadan Muslim praying ground on Wednesday, Ladoja told journalists at his private residence in Bodija, Ibadan, that there was no need to fix what was working.

I want to say it again, nothing has changed, he continued. Because it is believed that you shouldn’t fix something that is not broken, nothing has changed. I don’t think it’s fair or right to have many obas; I think we high chiefs shouldn’t be obas. Why? Who do we face off against?

“When I decided to enter the competition to become the Olubadan, my main concern was how to do so because the only crown I want to wear is that of the Olubadan of Ibadanland. Other than Olubadan of Ibadanland’s crown, I have no interest in any other crown. And everyone in the room is aware that God selected the Oba in Ibadan.

Ladoja asserts that the compound heads of Ibadan are already on par with other traditional lords of other towns.

“We know that Mogaji in Ibadanland installs Baale in rural areas, whether we are right or wrong,” he said. So even Baale in Ibadan is better than another Oba elsewhere. So, when you think about it, the reason they have their own crown is because they requested that we give that one to a person who is less qualified to wear it, and it is nothing. It goes against our tradition.

The plan by Makinde to make the high chiefs of Ibadan obas had been revealed by a knowledgeable government source.