olubadan

Lekan Balogun endorsed as next Olubadan

Lekan Balogun endorsed as next Olubadan
| anaben

Out of the eleven Olubadan-in-Council members, Wednesday, ten endorsed the nomination of the Otun Olubadan, High Chief Lekan Balogun, as the one to ascend the throne of Olubadan, as the Osi Olubadan, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja was absent.

The endorsement came after the ratification by members of the Olubadan-in-Council, during a press conference, held at the ancient Mapo Hall, Ibadan.

Disclosing the development at the conference that was boycotted by the Osi Olubadan, High Chief Rasidi Ladoja, Iyalode of Ibadaland, Chief (Mrs.) Theresa Oyekanmi, the Osi Balogun of Ibadan, High Chief Tajudeen Ajibola said it wasn’t true that there is a legal tussle on the succession to the Olubadan throne.

He also said rumours bordering on the health and willingness of the new Olubadan-designate are nothing to write home about.

According to him, rumour going round about who will become the next Olubadan of Ibadaland was all false. He said: “We have endorsed the Otun Olubadan, High Chief Lekan Balogun as the next Olubadan of Ibadaland.”

“This is the decision that was taken by ten out eleven Olubadan-in-Council and there is no going back on it, it is the tradition that we need to follow to the latter,” Ajibola said.

Contributing, the Ekarun Olubadan of Ibadaland, High Chief Amidu Ajibade, noted that the Olubadan stool cannot be politicised, emphasising that the case in court was not in any way related to who becomes the next Olubadan.

Amidu said: “Those people and others were promoted during the reign of late Olubadan with their crowns and there was not problem, so there should not be problem now when the next person to late Olubadan needs to be supported to emerge as Olubadan.”

“Those people were duly promoted and their promotions were approved by the governor, so why are they now peddling rumours that are not relevant to the issue on ground, after this conference we will submmit our resolutions to Governor Makinde,” Amidu said.

In their separate remarks, the Oba Sulimon Akinsola Oladepo, the Alajia of Ajia of Ona-Ara local Government, Oba Dauda Omotosho Alawatan of Awatan of Ido Local Government, Oba Olasunkanmi Abioye the Oniroko of Iroko, Akinyele Local Government praised the Olubadan-in-Council for the peaceful way the next Olubadan was selected.

In his speech, High Chief Balogun said as bonafide indigene of Ibadanland, it was naturally needful for him to join the poeple in commiserating with the family of the late Oba Adetuni on his sudden home.

“By the way of duty, as the Prime Minster of the Olubadan-in-Council, we owe the people of Ibadanland and Oyo State in general the obligations to inform and update you all on the latest development at our Palace.”

“I, therefore, enjoin you all to discard with all unfounded rumors and insinuations capable of disturbing the peace of Ibadanland, irrespective of the quarter from which such fake news emanate.
In line with the traditional practice of Ibadanland when occasion like this arises, the Olubadan-in-Council has been up and doing liaising with the Oyo State Government to ensure that every necessary step to sustain the peace of the City is strictly followed.” Balogun said.

Chiefs present at the press conference include High Chief Abiodun Kola-Daisi, High Chief Eddy Oyewole, Senior Chief Adebayo Akande among others.

Why Lekan Balogun can’t be next Olubadan of Ibadan —Ex-Oyo AG writes Makinde

Why Lekan Balogun can’t be next Olubadan of Ibadan —Ex-Oyo AG writes Makinde

Why Lekan Balogun can’t be next Olubadan of Ibadan —Ex-Oyo AG writes Makinde
| anaben

There are strong indications that legal tussle may affect the appointment and installation of the next Olubadan of Ibadan.

Recall that 41st Olubadan of Ibadan, Saliu Adetunji, died on Sunday at the age of 93 at the University College Hospital, Ibadan and has since been buried according to Islamic rites.

A few hours after the monarch’s death, family members, friends, and well-wishers thronged the Aliiwo and Alarere Compounds of Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Chief Lekan Balogun, the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, who is the next in line to become Olubadan of Ibadanland, according to tradition.

However, a former Attorney-General of Oyo State, Michael Lana, in a letter to the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has said that Lekan Balogun is not fit to be the next Olubadan of Ibadan.

Ongoing legal cases

The lawyer made reference to some ongoing legal cases that hindered Balogun’s enthronement as Olubadan.

In the letter dated January 3, Lana explained that installing Balogun as Olubadan was only an “aberration and illegality”.

According to the ex-Attorney-General, Balogun, some high chiefs and Baales had been given their titles by the late Abiola Ajimobi, when he was the Oyo State Governor.

Part of the letter read, “Kindly note, your excellency, that your predecessor in office, without thinking of the legal effects of his actions on the future of Ibadan traditional institution, conferred the title of Obaship on some high chiefs and Baales and gave them the right to wear beaded crowns and coronets in 2017.

“This action was challenged in suit No. M317/ 2017-high chief Rashid Ladoja V the governor of Oyo state.

“However, the court of appeal in Appeal No.CA/111/99/ 2018 set aside the said Judgment of Aiki J on technical grounds without touching on the merit of the case and sent the case hack for retrial,” the lawyer continued.

“Upon your excellency’s assumption of office, it was resolved that the matter be settled amicably and the same was settled through the instrumentality of a Terms of Settlement which became the judgment of the court.

“The said Terms of Settlement recognised the illegality of the said actions and therefore set aside the gazettes by which the said chiefs became Obas with a right to wear beaded crowns and coronets.

“These high chiefs and Baales were dissatisfied with this consent judgment and therefore instituted two separate suits to set aside the consent judgment while at the same time clinging to the title of Obas (which actually is in contempt of court).

The lawyer further explained that though the judgment amended the Ibadan chieftaincy customary law, “the Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration of 1957 was not amended and therefore remains extant”.

He added, “Under that declaration and all relevant law, no Oba can ascend to the throne of Olubadan.

“In other words, as long as the high chiefs still cling to the title of Oba, they cannot ascend to that throne and any installation of any of them during the pendency of that suit is illegal, null and void.

“It is in line with this legal situation that I advice, most humbly, that you should withhold any approval of any high chief to become the 0lubadan so that you will not also join in the desecration of Ibadan chieftaincy customary law.”

‘What can be done for Balogun to be installed’

Lana explained that until the cases are concluded or withdrawn, Balogun would be unfit to be installed as Olubadan.

He said, “There are only two ways to deal with this situation: one is for the high chiefs to withdraw the aforementioned cases and the other is to wait for the court to pronounce on it before any step is taken to install an Olubadan.

“If the court holds that they have the right to be Obas and entitled to wear beaded crowns, then they are perpetually barred from becoming another Oba. Nowhere in the customary law of any Yoruba town is an Oba elevated to become another Oba.

“On the other hand, the court holds that the Terms of Settlement stands, and their Obaship title is illegal, then they are free to be elevated to the post of Olubadan.”

How Olubadan died – UCH

How Olubadan died – UCH

How Olubadan died – UCH
| anaben

The University College Hospital, Ibadan has given details of how the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, died at the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital at 01.15 am on Sunday.

In a statement by its Deputy Director of nformation and Public Relations Officer, Toye Akinrinola, it was revealed that the monarch was referred to UCH from a private hospital in Ibadan about 9.30 pm on Saturday.

It further stated that the Chief Medical Director CMD, Prof. Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo, immediately instructed a high-powered medical team to attend to the late monarch.

The CMD also wrote the Governor of the state, Seyi Makinde, informing him of Olubadan’s death.

The statement read in part,  “The Olubadan of Ibadanland, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, Aje Oguguniso 1, on  January 2, 2022, passed on at the Intensive Care Unit  of the University College Hospital, Ibadan at 1.15 am.

“The late Monarch was referred to the UCH from a private hospital in Ibadan at about 9.30 pm yesterday.

“He was immediately admitted at the ICU where the Chief Medical Director CMD, Professor Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo directed that a high-powered medical team be constituted to provide the best medical treatment to him.

“By 1.15 am today, His Imperial Majesty breathed his last breath.

“The CMD was at the ICU in the early hours of today to pay the late Olubadan his last respect.

“Afterward, the CMD wrote a letter of notification of the demise of the revered Monarch to His Excellency Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State which was received by the Permanent Secretary of the Oyo State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Dr. Bashiru Olanrewaju on behalf of the Oyo State Government. A similar letter was written to the Family of the departed Olubadan.

“The CMD further ensured that the remains of the late Monarch were taken care of in a manner befitting to the late Olubadan.

“Professor Otegbayo also escorted the corpse of Oba Adetunji from the ICU to a waiting ambulance and handed the corpse to the family and other dignitaries on the ground.”

Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, has condoled with the immediate family, people of Ibadanland, Oyo State, and Nigeria on the death of Oba Adetunji.

He described Oba Adetunji as a pillar of support to the University, who never hesitated to offer wise counsel and words of support for the progress of the institution.

He said, “My last engagement with Oba Adetunji was on 16 November, 2021, when he received our Chancellor and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, on a courtesy call, in his Popoyemoja Palace.

“Kabiyesi demonstrated that he was UI’s father and Chief Landlord. UI was, indeed, honoured and celebrated on that memorable visit.”

“I must say, Kabiyesi Adetunji lived humbly; served humbly; came loving; lived loving; and served loving.

“Oba Adetunji knew how to serve God; how to serve humanity; how to lead humanity: how to serve others; how to lead others; how to assist others; how to develop others and how to mentor others. He had the true formula of how to lead the community and society. He was a leader of leaders.

“Our consolation lies in the great deeds of the late Olubadan which are engraved unforgettably in the hearts of women and men. Such deeds, which knew no ethnic or religious boundaries, bear clear testimony to the late Olubadan’s triumph over death.

“On behalf of the governing council, management, staff, and students of the University of Ibadan, we sincerely commiserate with the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, the immediate family of the late Olubadan, Olubadan-in-Council, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), and all Ibadan indigenes and residents.”

Makinde mourns Olubadan of Ibadanland