NEWSROYALE Rumpus as Ajimobi plans to tinker with Olubadan ascension
In the ancient town of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the process of ascension to the Olubadan throne is unique. Unlike the practice in most Yoruba towns, Ibadan kingmakers do not need to consult an oracle before picking the next Olubadan after the incumbent has joined his ancestors. And also unlike other Yoruba towns where the opportunity of becoming king is limited to specific families, the Olubadan throne is open to all Ibadan indigenes, who are able to climb the chieftaincy ladder rung by rung to the hilt.
In Ibadan, the age-long throne ascension system gives room to every compound to nominate a distinguished son to be crowned with the Mogaji chieftaincy title. The Mogaji then starts climbing the Olubadan ascension throne one chieftaincy title rung after the other till he gets to the Olubadan throne, if he is lucky to still be alive. The system implies that every family in Ibadan land can have a Mogaji and is a potential Olubadan “supplier”.
After the Mogaji, the Olubadanin-Council, which is the group of kingmakers made up of the monarch and the high chiefs, can promote any Mogaji to the post of Jagun.
This promotion puts the Jagun on the ladder to the Olubadan throne from two lines: the Otun Olubadan and Balogun. The death of the occupant of any of the two positions determines the promotion of those on the ladder to higher cadres.
It is not that fast and direct, though. From Jagun, candidates climb 21 steps before emerging as the Olubadan on the Otun Olubadan line, while candidates climb 22 other steps on the Balogun line.
The uniqueness of this system is the reason every Ibadan indigene is a potential king and prevents unhealthy contest for the throne as the next Olubadan is already well known by virtue of their chieftaincy titles.
Ascension is rotated between the two lines. When an Olubadan dies, one of the topmost chiefs from both lines ascends the throne based on the principle of rotation. If one dies on the Otun side, the Balogun produces the next Olubadan. For instance, the immediate past Olubadan, Oba Odulana Odugade, was in line of the Otun, while the incumbent Olubadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, emerged from the Balogun line.
All those unique features may, however, be going into extinction anytime soon. Reason: the Oyo State government is thinking of modifying the ascension method. Governor Abiola Ajimoba, on May 19 this year, inaugurated a seven-man judicial commission of inquiry headed by a retired High Court judge, Justice Akintunde Boade, to review the existing chieftaincy declaration and other related chieftaincy issues in Ibadan land.
The committee was mandated to review the existing requirement/ qualification for ascendancy to the Olubadan throne and the selection process of Olubadan from the Otun and Balogun lines. The governor also said the committee should look into the possibilities of having more beaded crown kings in Ibadanland, considering the present size and population of Ibadan.
Although Gov Ajimobi was quick to explain that he didn’t propose the review to witchhunt anybody, many cynics, unconvinced, still view it as a subtle means to deny the former governor of the state, Senator Rashidi Ladoja the right to ascend the throne. Ladoja is only two ladders away from becoming the Olubadan. There has been no love lost between Ajimobi and Ladoja as the latter remains a vocal opponent of the incumbent governor.
It is widely believed in Ibadan that Ladoja, a second-in-command to the Olubadan, may be negatively affected by whatever decision the committee takes. Ladoja, apparently not unconscious of the threat, cautioned the governor a few days ago against treading “this unfamiliar terrain.” He warned Ajimoba not to intervene in the Ibadan chieftaincy system.
A close source to the Ladoja camp, who sought anonymity, told the Daily Trust on Sunday in Ibadan during the week, “We are suspecting that the governor is up to a delicate game. If you recall, the governor was installed as the Atunluse recently, and he knows that if Ladoja becomes the Olubadan, they won’t be able to work together amicably. So, the governor wants to block him. Second, Ajimobi wants his younger brother, Wasiu Adegboyega Ajimobi or his in-law, Chief Kola Daisi, to become the Olubadan after the incumbent Olubadan. Though he may have other reasons, these are facts.”
However, a former governor of the state, Dr Victor Omololu Olunloyo, shared the same sentiment with the state government as he described the old, existing system as “fraudulent”.
Olunloyo, who spoke last year at a coronation symposium lecture organised by the state government for the incumbent Olubadan, Oba Adetunji, at Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan, called for a review of the process.
The former governor argued that the system needed to be reviewed to encourage the younger sons of the ancient land to become its king, as most Olubadans, he reminded, do not always have a long reign before they die because of the ascension system.
Oba Adetunji and other high chiefs of Ibadanland have themselves supported Senator Ajimobi on the move to review the 1958 Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration.
The position of the royal father and the high chiefs was contained in a statement issued on June 14, 2017, by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication and Strategy, Mr. Yomi Layinka.
According to the release, Oba Adetunji, while speaking at the end of a meeting held with the governor at the Governor’s Office, said he and all his chiefs were in full support of the exercise, saying it would bring development to the ancient city.
The Olubadan said, “Our visit (to the governor) today, as you can see, is to put paid to the rumours and misgivings about the review of the Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration. We have come to show our sincere support to the governor and to let him know that we are on the same page with him as the review is for the progress of Ibadan and its people.”
Also speaking, the Otun Olubadan, High Chief Lekan Balogun, who was one of the two High Chiefs that had dragged the governor to court over the issue, attributed his action to what he called “a communication gap.”
According to Chief Balogun, the exercise was aimed at modernising the methods of ascension to the Olubadan throne.
“Change is the only constant thing in life. There is nothing that is above change. All the furore which had resulted from government’s move was due to a communication gap. But that has been resolved now. Life is dialectical; things must be changing and we must all be growing with it. The government is quite right to have set up a machinery to look into the law and see how it can be made better. We believe it is a welcome development, especially with the kind of governor we have who is keenly interested in the growth and development of Ibadanland,” he said.
He added that the benefits inherent in the review were many, promising that the Olubadan would, henceforth, enjoy the company of beaded crown chiefs whenever he had any outing. This, he said, would raise the status of Ibadan as one of the most important cities in Yoruba land.
Chief Balogun said, “The benefits to be derived from the review are enormous. Even if we don’t want to preempt the future, we will wait till things are resolved fundamentally. But, we know that the Olubadan will no longer be moving alone any longer.
“Of course, there will be high chiefs with the nomenclature of Obas, the Olubadan won’t be on his own anymore. When royal majesties (in other cities) go out, they are always in company of beaded crown Obas.”
Another member of the Olubadan-in-Council, High Chief Owolabi Olakulehin, said virtually all the neighbouring Yoruba states had adopted the system being contemplated for Ibadan through the review.
Other members of the Olubadanin-Council at the meeting were the Otun-Balogun, High Chief Olufemi Olaifa; Ashipa Olubadan, High Chief Eddy Oyewole; Osi Balogun, High Chief Tajudeen Ajibola; Ekaarun Olubadan, High Chief Amidu Ajibade; Ashipa Balogun Olubadan, High Chief Lateef Gbadamosi; Ekaarun Balogun, High Chief Kola Adegbola and Ekerin Olubadan, High Chief Abiodun Kola-Daisi.