The Olubadan-designate, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, is hale and hearty, his son, Sumbo Owolabi, told The PUNCH on Wednesday in Ibadan.
“He will soon make his first public appearance any moment from now and even attend the next meeting of the Council of Obas in Ibadanland,” Owolabi, a former commissioner in Oyo State, told our correspondent, who visited the family house on Wednesday.
The clarification comes in the wake of concerns that Oba Olakulehin was absent at a Monday meeting of the Olubadan in Council to deliberate on his nomination to Governor Seyi Makinde as appointment as the next Olubadan.
The ancient and revered Olubadan stool became vacant on March 14, 2023, following the death of Oba Lekan Balogun.
Balogun died aged 81 about two years after ascending the throne.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that the Council of Obas were to meet on Tuesday to formally nominate Oba Olakulehin to Governor Seyi Makinde for appointment as the Olubadan.
However, speaking with our correspondent on Tuesday, the Ekerin Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade, raised concern about the absence of the Olubadan-designate, Oba Olakulehin, at a Monday meeting of the Council of Obas to deliberate on the enthronement process of Oba Olakulehin as the new Olubadan.
The Ekerin Olubadan said there were concerns that the Oba Olakulehin had not made any public appearance 12 days after he was named the Olubadan-designate, following the passage of Oba Balogun.
Insinuating that Oba Olakulehim might be unwell, the Ekerin Olubadan said, “If someone is not well or capable of staying on that throne, do you just want us to put that person there like a vegetable? Is it possible? What we want is whoever wants to become our Oba must be able to walk and speak, so that you will be able to communicate with him.”
However, when our correspondent visited Oba Olakulehin’s private residence at Alalubose, on Wednesday, his first son, Owolabi, said his father was in good health.
“Your Daddy has aged already. So, before the late Oba Balogun’s demise, Baba had gone for a medical trip. And when the incident happened, he was still there. So, he just stayed back to relax a bit.
“As a new king, different people will be paying him homage and he will need to attend to them all. And with his age, he may not have the strength to receive different people across Nigeria; hence, the reason his doctor advised him to relax a bit.
“I want to debunk the rumour that he is incapacitated. The installation of the next Olubadan will soon be done. People should stop fake rumour. I also want to debunk another rumour that the crowned Obas have not seen him. They have now seen each other,” he said.
Owolabi said the family house and Oba Olakulehin’s private residence at No 1, Cassia Street, Alalubose Government Reserved Area would be renovated in preparation for his coronation as the next Olubadan.
The monarch’s son said, “One thing I know is that the renovation of his family house and this place (private residence) will soon commence after the inauguration of the Coronation Planning Committee by the State Government through the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters.
“But I want to confirm to you that Baba, Olubadan-designate, Oba Olakulehin is the next Olubadan of Ibadanland. It was intentional not to attend the meeting fixed a few days ago, and not because of his health. He is the only person that can give you details on that. But I want to authoritatively confirm that the crowned Obas and Baba have been in touch physically. They have seen one another and he will join them at the next meeting whenever they convene it.”
