Olubadan stool: Council writes Makinde, calls for next in line’s appointment

The Olubadan-in-Council, the kingmakers for the Olubadan of Ibadan stool have asked the Governor of Oyo state, Seyi Makinde, to appoint and install the next in line to the Olubadan stool.

The request was made in a letter, dated January 4, which was written by the kingmakers’ lawyers, Kehinde Eleja (SAN) and Wahab Egbewole (SAN), and Sobaloju Adekunle.

The letter urged Makinde to ignore a previous letter written to him by the former Attorney General of Oyo State, Michael Lana, in which the governor was asked not to appoint a replacement for the late Oba Saliu Adetunji’s until ongoing court cases are withdrawn or concluded.

The 41st Olubadan of Ibadan, Saliu Adetunji, died on Sunday at the age of 93 at the University College Hospital, Ibadan and has since been buried according to Islamic rites.

His death was followed by controversies over the appointment of Lekan Balogun, who is the next in line, according to tradition.

The kingmakers, in the letter titled, “Re-Installation of new Olubadan of Ibadanland’, said the ascendancy to Olubadan stool has not been altered by any court case.

Part of the letter read, “First, the law as regards ascension to the Olubadan stool is the 1957 Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration and the subsequent Government decisions thereon and the rights of the High Chiefs in line to the ascension to the vacant stool of the Olubadan of Ibadan is guaranteed therein as it was not and cannot be eroded by the conferment of rights to wear the beaded crown as High Chiefs of Ibadanland as it is on record that none of the High Chiefs was at any point in the time appointed or installed as Olubadan of Ibadanland or vested with the rights to wear the beaded crown as Olubadan of Ibadanland

“We unequivocally state that we are not aware of any suit or any order of a competent court of law as of today which restrains the Oyo State Government from kick-starting the process of filling the vacant stool of the Olubadan of Ibadanland or from approving the appointment of any person next in line of succession to the throne as the Olubadan of Ibadanland.

“We equally reiterate that there is no controversy whatsoever within the Olubadan in Council and the entire Ibadanland as to the candidate next in line to fill the vacant stool of the Olubadan of Ibadanland other than the unnecessary dust raised in the letter of M.F Lana Esq as we do not see how the judgment of the court in suit 1/22/2020, whichever way it goes, can in any way affect the right of the Kingmakers to select the candidate next in line to fill the vacant stool of the Olubadan of Ibadanland.

“We know that the positive side of history is more in favour of overseeing a smooth process of the filling of the vacant stool of the Olubadan of Ibadan rather than entertaining frivolous petitions aimed at scuttling the process.

“We, therefore, most humbly appeal to you as a true and legitimate son of Ibadanland to shun any invitation to scuttle the age-long tradition of a smooth and rancor-free process of filling the vacant stool of Olubadan by approving without hesitation any candidate selected by the Olubadan in Council to fill the vacant stool.”