A former attorney-general and commissioner for justice in Oyo State, Michael Lana, has intervened in the twist in the selection of a new Olubadan.
OYOINSIGHT.COM had reported how the elevated Ibadan Obas failed to honour a meeting called by Otun Olubadan, Rashidi Ladoja, saying that they are bigger than him because the former governor is an high chief.
It would be recalled that Ladoja had been opposed to the chieftaincy review by the government which elevated the high chiefs to Obaship status. He is currently in court challenging the process.
OYOINSIGHT.COM had also reported subtle move to prevent Ladoja from ascending the throne when it is his turn.
But Lana, who was in court as Ladoja’s lawyer before the late Olubadan, Oba Mohood Balogun was allowed to be enthroned, said that action of the elevated Obas may boomerang should Chief Ladoja decide to fight back.
In an exclusive interview with OYOINSIGHT.COM, the Ibadan-born lawyer who was the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in the 2023 election, said that “under the Olubadan declaration, only high chiefs and not Obas can nominate an Olubadan. If they toe this line of argument that a non-Oba could not chair the meeting of the ones, then their meeting is null and void and any nomination made by them as obas is invalid.
“In law, we view the capacity in which a thing is to be done. A person usually has multiple capacities with each capacity controlled by different laws. In this case, the High Chiefs qua high chiefs have a roll different from the high chiefs qua Obas. The elevated Obas are in dual capacity; one as Oba and the other as High Chief. As Obas, they cannot nominate a person for the stool of Olubadan; they can only do so as High Chiefs. In the latter capacity, their most senior chief is Chief Ladoja who is also the only person that can validly call a meeting for the purpose of nominating the candidate for the Olubadan stool. I think the elevated Obas should note this difference in their capacities.
“This is part of the problem I knew would happen ab initio. Let me break it down: In the process of nomination of a candidate to fill a chieftaincy the first document you look at is the Chieftaincy Declaration pertaining to that Chieftaincy.
“In elevating the chiefs to Obas, their Chieftaincy Declarations were not amended. Under the defunct White Paper of Ajimobi, it was stated that the Obas would be chiefs under the Olubadan.
“Under the Declaration, the following are the Kingmakers: a) Otun Olubadan, b) Osi Olubadan, c) Ashipa Olubadan, d) Ekerin Olubadan, e) Iyalode f) The Balogun, g) Otun Balogun h) Osi Balogun, I)Ashipa Balogun, j) Ekerin Balogun and Seriki(which is no more)
“To nominate a candidate, the most senior Chief in the line that is NOT producing the candidate shall summon a meeting where the chiefs in the line that will produce the candidate shall do the nomination.
“Note that it doesn’t talk of an Oba in the lines but a chief. Secondly Ladoja is the most senior in the line that is NOT producing the candidate and the only person that MUST summon the meeting,” he added.
