Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has assured that he will, on Monday, announce Otun Olubadan, Senator Lekan Balogun, as the substantive Olubadan of Ibadanland.
He gave the assurance while speaking at the final outing service in honour of the 41st Olubadan, the late Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso I, held at the Liberty Stadium, today.
This was as Governor Makinde said the traditional system and process of appointing a new Olubadan was never broken and thus needed no amendments.
“What we want to happen is what is happening today. The final burial rites for our father, Olubadan of Ibadanland who has joined his ancestors, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso I.
“We want his legacy to be good and this is good. Somebody said he was watching this event live on Facebook and he said he too would be happy to die. I told him not to die now; that he should wait till when those that will honour him in death will be in a good position to honour him.
“When the crisis over the traditional institution in Ibadanland started, I said it that I will always toe the line of the traditional institution, no matter what.
“All the problems that we had over the traditional institution in Ibadanland, I am happy, today, that God has taken control and we have settled them all.
“I have accepted the letter from the Olubadan-In-Council and, by the grace of God, on Monday, I will make the announcement of the new Olubadan of Ibadanland.
“This is another victory for the Ibadan traditional institution. The process and the system were never broken; it needs no amendment. We are now back to how we were selecting and appointing traditional rulers in Ibadanland.
“For those who, if you go to their towns, they may not have an oba appointed in nine years, in our own case, when we were doing the 40 days of the transition of our late Olubadan, we already knew the next Olubadan of Ibadanland.
“This is a unique system which everybody wants to emulate. This is the reason why in Oyo State, we are the pacesetters. I thank you all that came to honour our father, the late Olubadan today. It is my prayer that good and worthy children will be our legacy.
“When the representative of the Chief Imam of Ibadanland was praying, he said all the legacies of the late Olubadan shall not be destroyed. Seyi Makinde is one of the legacies of the late Olubadan, please don’t let it be destroyed,” the governor said.
With the proclamation by Governor Makinde, Senator Lekan Balogun will become the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland, the capital of Oyo State.
Recall that the Olubadan-In-Council had nominated Senator Lekan Balogun as the next Olubadan of Ibadanland, following the withdrawal of a court case, as advised by Governor Seyi Makinde.
The case was instituted by the Ibadan high chiefs to challenge the consent judgment nullifying the elevation granted them as royal majesties by the immediate past administration of the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
