Ladoja says no qualms with endorsement of Balogun as new Olubadan

Mr Ladoja admitted that the Otun Olubadan, High Chief Lekan Balogun, was next in line to become the new Olubadan of Ibadanland.

News Agency of Nigeria • January 6, 2022

High Chief Lekan Balogun and Rashidi Ladoja

Rashidi Ladoja, a former governor of Oyo state and Osi Olubadan, has dismissed rumours of controversy over the endorsement of Senator Lekan Balogun as new Olubadan of Ibadanland.

The Olubadan stool became vacant following the demise of Oba Saliu Olatunji on January 2.

Speaking at his Bodija residence on Thursday, Mr Ladoja admitted that the Otun Olubadan, High Chief Lekan Balogun, was next in line to become the new Olubadan of Ibadanland.

“There is no controversy about it. Egbon Lekan Balogun is the most senior in our line and so he is the next in line to the throne,” the former governor said.

Ten out of the 11 members of Olubadan-in-Council endorsed Mr Balogun as the new Olubadan on Wednesday. Mr Ladoja, was, however absent as he was rumoured to be eyeing the Olubadan stool.

Hours after Mr Balogun’s endorsement, the former governor, however, said “for those asking, my ‘body and mouth language’ is that Egbon Lekan is my senior and he is next in line to the Olubadan stool.”

He expressed displeasure at the tension the issue had generated, noting that he lacks the powers to make anyone the Olubadan of Ibadanland.

Mr Ladoja explained that it was the High Chiefs who instituted two pending suits now generating the unwarranted tension, urging them to withdraw suits.

“In 2017, we instituted a case to challenge the needless reform that Abiola Ajimobi as the Governor wanted to do.

“Almost all of us as High Chiefs and members of the Olubadan-in-Council agreed to the filing of a suit to challenge him and we gave the task to Michael Lana.

“Lana later called me to say some of the High Chiefs told him to remove their names from the suit, leaving only my elder brother Balogun and myself.

“I asked Lana if I could do it alone and he told me ‘yes’ and we continued. We won the case at the state High Court and Ajimobi appealed.

“In the judgment, the Appeal Court, a few days to the exit of Ajimobi from government, sent the case back to the High Court for a retrial.

“They, Judges of the Appellate Court, said the case was brought under writ of summons instead of originating summons,” he said.

(NAN)

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