A former Governor of Oyo State, Rashidi Ladoja, is set to succeed the late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Olakuleyin, who died in the early hours of Monday, sources in the state have said.
As the people of Oyo State await what comes next after the demise of their king, insiders have informed Apples Bite magazine that Rashidi Ladoja is next in line to the throne.
According to those familiar with the Ibadan traditional rulership, Ladoja is the preferred candidate to take over from Oba Olakuleyin, except the Oyo State government decides to take a different path.
As the Otun Balogun of Ibadanland, Ladoja, who ruled the state from 2003 to 2007, has always expressed his lifetime ambition to become Olubadan.
He revealed that becoming the state’s helmsman 18 years ago was only an arrangement that destiny had for him, insisting that his ultimate dream has always been to become the traditional ruler of the ancient town.
Recall that Ladoja turned down an appointment to be one of the beaded crown chiefs years ago. After the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi described the position as an “elevated oba,” Rashidi reacted by saying that it is wrong to have other obas in the town alongside the Olubadan.
Ladoja eventually accepted the position after Governor Seyi Makinde’s government signed the Chieftaincy Amendment Bill into law in 2022, which granted him power to present beaded crowns and coronets to chiefs appointed by Oyo State.
After accepting the role as one of the coronet chiefs of Olubadan-in-Council, the former governor maintained that he is not interested in wearing an elevated crown, and the end goal remains to become the top traditional ruler in Oyo.
“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,” he said.
If Ladoja eventually gets his lifelong wish and becomes the Olubadan, he’ll be the first ex-Governor to occupy the position and the 4th Olubadan during the tenure of Governor Seyi Makinde.
