A former Governor of Oyo State and the Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland, Senator Rasidi 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 being taking 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 responsobility 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 legistlature 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 inuagurated 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 disandvantage 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 differenciate 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 reccomendation 4, where is 1 and 3. There is also reccomendation 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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