A former Governor of Oyo State
and the Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland, Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja has ridiculed
the 21 newly coronated Obas in Ibadan, describing the coronation as a
“theatre”.
Ladoja who warned members of the
State House of Assembly against being compromised when the issue is taken to
the house declared that “I saw what happened on Sunday in Mapo as a theatre, it
is a stage play”.
The former governor while
addressing journalists at his Ondo Street Bodija Ibadan residence shortly after
observing the Eld-Kabir prayers on Friday, disclosed that the so called “Obas
are being appointed by the government and not the Ibadan traditional
institution”.
Ladoja however said that the new
Obas can be removed from the office even if they spent 15 years on the
“government assigned positions.”
He insisted that the government
does not have any power in dabbling into the traditional institution.
“That is not the duty of the
government to tamper with the 1959 declaration. The 1957 law was Chiefs laws.
And we told them that it was Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration of 1959. So we told
them that it is not their responsibility. We are not having Olubadan of Oyo
State but Olubadan of Ibadanland. Why are they bringing people from Ibarapa,
Oyo and Ogbomoso to review Ibadan declaration.
“That is why we are in court that it is not the responsibility of the
government to review the Ibadan Chieftaincy declaration.
“As you can see, the government
is not interested in anything apart from the Ibadan traditional institution
now.
“What happened at Mapo is a
theatre. It is a stage play, I saw it as a theatre as far as I am concerned. It
is not important to me, I don’t attach any importance to it. He said he will
bribe the House of Assembly to have his way when it gets to them.
“Have you ever seen a situation
where an Oba will be coronated on Sunday, they said they have gone to Ipebi
within three days they issue letters and coronated them on Sunday. Ibadan Obas
are coronated on Friday.
“I am only want to warn the
legislature that they should go to back to their constituencies to know what
the people that elected them want.
“This is not only Ibadan matter
now, it is Oyo State matter, after Ibadan, he will go to Ogbomoso, Ibarapa and
Oyo. It is an issue that is not limited to Ibadan alone because he said Ago-Are
is having 3 Obas, why not in Saki?
The former governor while dispelling
the rumor that he also set up a commission called Adio commission of inquiry
however asked the present state government to tell him when the commission was
set up and where they had their sittings.
He said “It is not true, I did
not set up any commission called Adio commission, I did not see it as important
because I was more concerned about Oyo State. I took decision and Oyo State
improved in education, Oyo State came 5th during my own time in WAEC. Saki,
even Fiditi has not got Oba, why do you want to change thing that is working? I
want to tell you that I did not set up Adio commission, if Adio is alive, tell
me which day he was inaugurated and where they sat.
“You don’t get it now, the Local
Government election is not conducted because there is a court case, the house
of chiefs has been suspended because there is a court case, are you saying that
there is no court case on this issue, we have went to the court, if you take
advantage of the court, you should also take the disadvantage of the court.
“Let us wait, if they influence
the local court, they cannot influence the upper court. Even an Oba that has
spent 15 years can be removed, so they can be removed.
“Nobody is talking about how
LAUTECH will get its shape, how many people are choosing LAUTECH in JAMB?, they
are going to UNILORIN that is about 30 kilometres from Ogbomoso.
Speaking on why he is the only
one among members of the Olubadan-In-Council against the review set up by the
Governor Abiola Ajimobi led administration, Ladoja posited that most of the
people supporting the review including the new Obas could not differenciate
between the governor and the holder of the office.
“I don’t know because I am not
one of those who opted out, what faces somebody is backing another person. Some
people could not differentiate between the governor and the holder of the
office. Maybe they are doing solidarity for Ibadan boy. When Akala said he want
to make some Baales as Obas, the whole Ibadan rose against it”.
Ladoja speaking further, remarked
that the whole exercise was a fraudulent activity.
“They said recommendation 4,
where is 1 and 3. There is also recommendation 12, where is 13 to 98. This
government, you can see that the government report is fraudulent. When they
started they said it was 1957 and I told them the 1957 was Chiefs Laws, and now
they are saying 1959, you can see that the government is inconsistent
“I told you that the government
is fraudulent, I see this as illegal, there is no time that I tell them that
what they are doing is right. Not a member of the commission has a copy, they
signed two and the government took them away. Nobody has a copy of the white
paper.
“Let me tell you that I don’t
have any issue with Ajimobi as a person, I have issue with the government.
Ajimobi is my younger brother but I have issue with the government. When I
started, I said I want to become Olubadan and not Oba Otun Olubadan or Oba Osi
Olubadan”.
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