Ladoja Drags Gov. Makinde, Olubadan To Court Over Elevation Of High Chief To Obas
IBADAN – A former governor of Oyo state, Senator Rashidi Ladoja on Wednesday dragged the state Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde and the Olubadan of Ibadaland, Oba Lekan Balogun to court, challenging the legality of crowning Ibadan High Chiefs as coronet Obas.
He accused the Olubadan of Ibadanland, and Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde of bastardizing the Ibadan age-long tradition by elevating 10 high chiefs to become beaded crown-wearing Obas.
He made the accusation in a suit against the Olubadan, Makinde and 11 others, claiming that Oba Balogun and the governor perpetrated illegality by their actions.
He further alleged that the Olubadan coerced the high chiefs into submission and took a unilateral decision to elevate them to beaded crown-wearing obas.
The Olubadan had, at a ceremony held in Mapo Hall, last Friday, crowned 10 members of his Olubadan-In-Council as obas and gave them the titles of His Royal Majesties.
Oba Balogun, in two separate letters, sought the approval of the state government to elevate the High Chiefs to obas.
Governor Makinde approved the request by the Olubadan, subsequent upon his “Evocation Of The Amended Declaration On Regulating The Selection To The Olubadan of Ibadan Chieftaincy And Related Matters.”
The governor, on 27 June, 2023, revoked the following as they affected the Olubadan of Ibadan Chieftaincy Matters:
The Amended Declaration on regulating the selection to the Olubadan of Ibadan Chieftaincy stool published in the Oyo State Gazette No. 15, Vol. 42 of 24th August, 2017;
The implementation of the White Paper on the review of the existing Olubadan of Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration and other related Chieftaincies in Ibadan published in the Oyo State Gazette No. 14, Vol 42 of 23rd August, 2017;
The approval of Appointment of Beaded Crowns for the Olubadan in Council published in the Oyo State Gazette No.3, Vol. 43 of 29″ March, 2018 as Oyo State Notice No. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30;
The approval of Appointment of Beaded Crown and Coronet Wearing Obas published in the Oyo State Gazette No.3, Vol. 43 of 29″ March, 2018.
He had based his action on the “exercise of the powers granted to me by the Constitution of the Federal Republic Nigeria, 1999 (as amended);
Ladoja, however, kicked and vehemently declared that the actions of the Olubadan and the governor were illegal and an attempt to bastardize the age-long tradition of Ibadanland.
The former Oyo governor stated in a statement by his counsel, M. O. Folorunsho, Esq, that the issue of coronet or Obas wearing crown has been put on hold by an consent judgment and a Government Gazette.
“It is apposite at this juncture to emphasis, with due respect to His Imperial Majesty the elevation of high chief to the position of oba or wearing of crown of any type is not within the purview of His Imperial Majesty..
“[This is] more so when the earlier Gazette that made such elevation has been repealed by the Governor of Oyo State.”
Folorunsho further explained the alleged illegality in a letter, dated 4 July, 2023 and addressed to the Governor of Oyo State and in which the Attorney General of Oyo State and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs were copied.
“The captioned above is for your attention, the need to copy Your Excellency springs from the fact that any act that is illegal should not be assented to by your good office.
“The illegality here is that His Imperial Majesty, Olubadan of Ibadanland is lacking in power to unilaterally apply for elevation of his chiefs to be appointed as obas. This is against settled tradition of Ibadanland.
“If our client closes his eyes to this act which has the potency of distorting our traditional history, the same history will not forgive us and even remember us when we are no more,” Ladoja’s counsel stated.
Ladoja subsequently filed a suit before the state High Court (6 July, 2023) against the Olubadan and 12 others, seeking to declared the actions of the Olubadan and Governor Makinde (as the consenting authority) as illegal, null and void.
