- Says health conditions of Olubadans don’t determine their longevity, success on throne
A Chief of Ibadan land, Mogaji Gboyega Adejumo has advised those nursing fear over the speculated health challenges of the Olubadan-designate, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, to desist from dwelling in such, saying the stool of Olubadan had in the past sprang surprises as to the longevity of those who occupy it.
Adejumo said even though “Ibadan has no royalty in the real sense of it,” the Olubadan throne has become a mystery of sorts by refusing to conform with expectations of the people regarding the period an Olubadan would reign due to age or health conditions. He said there had been Olubadans who appeared very healthy and younger but did not last six months on the throne, adding that many who had been Olubadans with records of ill health spent longer years on the stool with laudable successes recorded.
Recall that the selection process of the new Olubadan has become controversial. Otun Balogun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Abimbola Ajibola was recently quoted by media as saying the Olubadan-designate is sick and needs time to get well before his coronation.
“Has anyone seen him since last Friday? Those who attempted to visit him after Friday were unsuccessful. They are coercing him. We should allow him to recuperate,” he had said.
However, Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja had argued that Ajibola’s views were speculative and not based on medical facts.
To this end, the Olubadan-In-Council, last Friday, nominated Oba Owolabi Olakulehin as the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland.
The seat became vacant on Thursday, March 14, 2024, after the demise of Oba Lekan Balogun, who reigned for two years and died at the age of 81 years.
The kingmakers agreed to name Oba Olakulehin as the next Olubadan at a meeting called by Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja.
He was nominated by the Osi Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Gbadamosi Adebimpe, following the absence of Otun Balogun, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola, who was expected to nominate him (Oba Olakulehin).
The Ekaarun Olubadan and Ekaarun Balogun were excused from the decision-making as the 1957 declaration only recognises High Chiefs from Ekerin Balogun and Ekerin Olubadan as ‘Afobaje” otherwise known as the kingmakers.
The meeting was supervised by officials of the Ibadan South East Local Government Area of the state, who are expected to forward the outcome of the meeting to the State Governor, Seyi Makinde for ratification.
Meanwhile, reacting in an interview on the telephone, Mogaji Adejumo, urged Governor Makinde not to reject Olakulehin’s nomination because such a move would precipitate a crisis in the traditional institution.
Adejumo, the National Publicity Secretary of the Pan Yoruba social-political organisation, Afenifere, while giving historical facts of how enthronement into Olubadan came to be, said since 1930 when Abass Okunola emerged as the first Olubadan, “we have had a fairly free succession line. It was never that challenging.”
“Once the person on the Olubadan line has reigned as Olubadan, the best you can achieve on the Olubadan line is Otun Olubadan. But, then, on the warrior side, you will have the Balogun. The late Olubadan was from the Otun Olubadan line, he was the Olubadan while Ladoja was Osi Olubadan. So, the Otun became Olubadan and Ladoja became Otun but he had to wait for the next one, and that is the Balogun. That is where the contention is coming from,” he said.
Giving reasons why Ibadan monarchical structure and arrangement is distinct, Adejumo noted that history has shown that past Olubadans whose medical issues had lasted on the throne.
He said, “Now, age has a lot to do with it too. Balogun Olakulehin is 84 but there is this fear about his health. Meanwhile, Olubadan, Baba Lana who later became Oyegade Odulana was 91 when he became Olubadan and he reigned for ten years. But, then, we had a Kobiowu in 1964 who only reigned for three months.
“We have had Olubadan who reigned for six months. Another reigned for one year. Then, we had an Olubadan, Ogundipe who was blind before he became an Olubadan and nobody said anything. He was already blind and he reigned for eight years. We have had very little rancour when the man called Penkelemesi was the Chairman of Ibadan Municipal Local Government; then, in 1956, Penkelemesi wanted to install Akere, who was Asipa because we don’t have Ikini, Ikeji in Yorubaland; you have Otun, you have Osi. You don’t have Eeketa. We have Asipa. So, the third in line he wanted to install, he actually installed Akere after some opposition. That was when we had an incident in which somebody tried to upset the balance. Now, some people are trying to upset the balance again and it is all politics and I will explain.
“Oba Owolabi Olakulehin was the Balogun, the Otun Balogun, who I am related to by blood nominated me as Mogaji. We have had in recent times, one Balogun who didn’t become Olubadan. We have had another Otun Olubadan who didn’t become Olubadan. They died like three months before they could become Olubadan. That is what brought Oba Saliu. Oba Saliu was third in line but two people (Kuye and Omiyale) died ahead of him while we were waiting for the coronation of an Olubadan.”
He added, “Raising health challenges could be political and genuine. The Ibadan Chieftaincy Law excludes the governor but after the kingmakers would have finished with their nomination, the governor will be notified and it is that time that the governor has a right to say yes or no. There has never been a governor that said no, anyway.
“I hope the governor doesn’t say no because it will cause a traditional institution crisis in Oyo State. We have had contenders who were worse off than Olakulehin. I have seen Olakulehin and I don’t think he is in that bad state. There are mystical circumstances to the throne of Olubadan that no one can predict except God.”
