Source: Nigerian Tribune
Taking the statistics of the ages of past rulers of Ibadanland, they are usually old men, having spent years to climb the succession ladder. It is unfortunate that not all aspiring Olubadan eventually emerges, as nature has a way of keeping some of them off their ambition. The death of someone on the ladder is a promotion for another.
Most of the kingmakers in line to become Olubadan are already aged, with many of them suffering from old age-related ailments. From the Ekarun Balogun to the Balogun and from Ekarun Olubadan to the Otun Olubadan are men in their 70s to late 80s. One of them is actually less than 60. The Olubadan-designate is nearing 89; the Otun Olubadan, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja, is nearing 80; the Osi Olubadan, Oba Eddy Oyewole, is in his late 80s, with the youngest among them in early 70s.
It takes anyone that will become an Olubadan to have spent between 35 and 40 years climbing the ladder. Adding the promotion years to their age, with some starting the journey in their 40s, the earliest time they will arrive at the zenith is around 80 years of age.
It usually takes decades to groom an Olubadan for the stool, through stages of chieftaincy promotion. For those on the Otun line, they will climb 22 rungs of the ladder from Jagun to become Olubadan, meaning that an Olubadan-elect from that line would have performed 22 rites of passage, from one chieftaincy position to another before getting to the zenith, while those on the Balogun line will perform 23 rites of passage to attain the topmost title of His Imperial Majesty.
Except for Oba Yesufu Kobiowu who was 55 years old when he ascended the throne in 1964, most Olubadans in history are usually in their late 70s to early 80s when ascending the throne. The irony, however, is that Oba Kobiowu reigned for only six months.
