BY AUGUSTINE AVWODE
A legal practitioner, Michael Lana, in a petition to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has challenged the decision of the state government to install High Chief Lekan Balogun as the next Olubadan of Ibadan land.
Lana, in a letter addressed to the governor, on Monday, stated that Balogun and some members of the Olubadan-in-Council, had already been crowned as Obas during the Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s administration.
He, therefore, urged the state government to stay action on Balogun’s installation as the next Olubadan of Ibadan.
According to him, nowhere in the history of Yoruba land has anybody who had already been crowned as king got elevated to ascend throne in another context.
In line with age long rotational arrangement, it is the turn of Balogun, the Osi Olubadan of Ibadan, and a former Senator, to ascend the throne as Oba over the ancient city.
Balogun’s right to the Olubadan stool is being challenged on the grounds that he was among the 21 High Chiefs who were elevated to the positions of Obas during the administration of Ajimobi, purportedly against the Ibadan tradition.
Balogun alongside Chief Akinloye Owolabi Olakunlehin, Balogun of Ibadanland; Tajudeen Abimbola Ajibola, Otun Balogun of Ibadanland; High Chief Eddy Oyewole, Asipa Olubadan; High Chief Lateef Gbadamosi Adebimpe, Osi Balogun; High Chief Abiodun Kola-Daisi, Eekerin Olubadan; and High Chief Salaudeen Hamidu Ajibade, Eekarun Olubadan; were opposed to the decision of the late Olubadan to challenge their insistence to be crowned as Obas.
Former governor Rashidi Ladoja, a member of the Olubadan-in-Council, was however opposed to the decision by the other High Chiefs who drew the battle line against the late monarch.
Lana, in his petition, argued that High Chief Lekan Balogun and other High Chiefs who were elevated as Obas do not qualify to be crowned as the Olubadan.
The petition, copied to the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Oyelowo Oyewo, read, “Now, may I draw your Excellency’s attention to the fact that in committing this aberration which changed the Ibadan Chieftaincy Customary Law, the Olubadan chieftaincy declaration of 1957 was not amended and that remains extant.
“Under that declaration and all relevant laws, no Oba can ascend the throne of Olubadan.
“In other words, as long as the High Chiefs still cling to the title of Oba, they cannot ascend to that throne and any installation of any of them during the pendency of that suit is illegal, null and void.
“In the entire history of Ibadan land, we have never had such a situation where the legality or otherwise of the installation of the Olubadan would be an issue and this was what your predecessor did not take into consideration.”
