In a move aimed at delaying and stopping the coronation of Owolabi Olakulehin as Olubadan of Ibadan, crown-wearing Ibadan high chiefs have made a u-turn.
To achieve this, OYOINSIGHT.COM, the Otun Olubadan, Rashidi Ladoja, is to be provoked, an action that will make him change his mind about withdrawing the case in court against the wearing of crowns by his colleagues.
The Ibadan chieftaincy review which was eventually done by the incumbent administration of ‘Seyi Makinde was initiated by the administration of late former governor Abiola Ajimobi. Makinde had, during campaign, said he was going to return the matter to status quo.
While the former governor is waiting to append his signature to the agreements already prepared between him and the high chiefs who accepted to wear crowns, the latter have said they are no longer going ahead with the peace deal.
This was just as the government is yet to approve the nomination of Olakulehin more than twenty days after and close to two months after Oba Lekan Balogun joined his ancestors.
OYOINSIGHT.COM understands that Makinde, whose late father and the new monarch are of the same The Cathedral of St Peters, Aremo, the second oldest Church in the capital city after The Cathedral Church of St. David, Kudeti, is not eager to approve Olakukehin’s nomination.
This, this newspaper understand, is in solidarity with the high chiefs his administration crowned as monarchs, an action he had initially opposed when his predecessor, late Abiola Ajimobi, first crowned them.
Worried by the delay, the Ibadan compound heads had on Wednesday visited Rashidi Ladoja.
Assuring the visitors, Ladoja had said the coronation of Oba Owolabi Olakulehin as the next Olubadan was a matter of time. He had revealed that he had undertaken to withdraw the suit he filed against the crowned high chiefs from court to clear the way for Olakulehin’s enthronement.
According to him, the agreements already prepared between him and the crown-wearing high chiefs was at the stage of signing, adding that when it is eventually brought to him, he would sign without delay.
He revealed that part of the agreement include assurance of not removing their crowns and deny them their rights and privileges if he (Ladoja) becomes Olubadan.
Ladoja added that he was compelled to go to court when the crown-wearing high chiefs and kingmakers threatened not to appoint him Olubadan if his turn to become monarch comes.
But some of the crown-wearing high chiefs, who are defendants in the suit, argued that there is no need to sign any agreement as they have already followed the 1957 Olubadan chieftaincy declaration.
Speaking after a meeting held at Olubadan’s palace, Oja’ ba, on Thursday, Newspeakonline quoted the Osi Balogun, Oba Lateef Adebimpe, said events have overtaken the terms of reference contained in the agreement.
Oba Adebimpe, who spoke on behalf of the high chiefs that attended the meeting, said that they have resolved to comply with the 1957 Olubadan chieftancy declaration, which empowers the most senior high chief, who is Ladoja, to convene Olubadan-in-Council meeting.
“We have gone through it and discovered that the terms of settlement have been met, which is strict compliance with the 1957 chieftancy declaration.
“We realised that our actions and deeds must be in accordance with the 1957 chieftaincy declaration. That is why we honoured his (Ladoja) invitation for a meeting for the nomination of Oba Owolabi Olakulehin as the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadan land.
“He had called a similar meeting that we all refused to attend, but we were later made to understand that we had acted contrary to the provision of the 1957 chieftancy declaration.
“Our attendance at the meeting showed that we are complying with the declaration.
“The nomination letter is with the state government, what is left now is for High Chief Ladoja to withdraw the pending case in court in order to facilitate the installation of the new Olubadan,” he said.
While corroborating Oba Adebimpe’s submission, Asipa Olubadan, Oba Abiodun Kola-Daisi, said that similar scenario played out two years ago, when the governor insisted that he would not approve the enthronement of a new monarch until the case in court has been withdrawn.
“We had similar problem before the installation of the immediate past Kabiyesi, late Oba Lekan Balogun. We instituted a court case against the government.
“Because of this, the governor insisted that he would not approve the installation of the new Olubadan until the case has been withdrawn.
“The plaintiffs in the suit, 10 of us came together and withdrew the case unconditionally from court.
“Two years down the line, same situation is playing out again. There is a case in court, not from our side, but from our Otun Olubadan, who insisted that he would not join rank with us as crown-wearing kings, but today the matter has been resolved.
“The new Olubadan has been recommended. We are waiting for the approval from the government, but there is a case in court that needs to be withdrawn.
“The terms of settlement as contained in the agreement paper that we are expected to sign have been overtaken by events.
“We are asked to sign that we will abide by the 1957 chieftancy declaration, we are already doing that. What are we signing again?
“The summary of the terms of settlement is that we are going to follow the 1957 chieftancy declaration in choosing another Olubadan.
“What that declaration says is that Otun Olubadan, the highest ranking on the other side will convene the meeting of the kingmakers.
“He called the meeting the first time, but we refused to attend because our status are different. But we realised that we have acted outside the declaration and we later complied with his directives.
“The nomination of the new Olubadan has reached the government, we are waiting for the approval,” Kola-Daisi said.
At the meeting were Oba Adebimpe, Asipa Olubadan, Oba Abiodun Kola-Daisi; Asipa Balogun, Oba Kola Adegbola; Ekerin Balogun, Oba John Isioye-Dada; and Ekaarun Olubadan, Oba Adebayo Akande.
However Ladoja; Osi Olubadan, Oba Eddy Oyewole; Otun Balogun, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola; Ekerin Olubadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade; and Ekaarun Balogun, Oba Abiodun Azeez were absent at the meeting.
