After much speculation and uncertainty, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has officially approved the appointment of Oba Akinloye Owolabi Olakulehin as the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland.
The approval was confirmed in a memo signed by the governor on June 14, 2024, leveraging the powers conferred by Section 19 (Cap 28) of the Law of Oyo State 2000 as amended.
Olusegun Olayiwola, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, released a statement confirming the approval as the culmination of a series of processes mandated by the state’s laws for royal ascension.
Governor Makinde had previously acknowledged the receipt of the Olubadan-in-Council’s recommendations during the final burial of the late Olubadan, Lekan Balogun. The governor indicated that Oba Olakulehin would be enthroned once he was deemed fit for the role, assuring that due process was followed.
The late Oba Balogun, who passed away on March 14, 2024, at the age of 81, had reigned for two years and was interred according to Islamic rites.
Governor Makinde’s remarks about delaying the enthronement until Oba Olakulehin’s health improved sparked mixed reactions. Some stakeholders argued that the governor had no right to delay the enthronement based on the Olubadan-designate’s health.
Senator Rashidi Ladoja, the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, criticised the governor’s comments, asserting that only the town’s people could enthrone the Olubadan and that the governor’s role was limited to presenting the staff and instrument of office.
The controversy peaked amid verbal disputes following Oba Balogun’s death. The Olubadan-in-Council ignored Senator Ladoja’s call for a meeting to nominate Oba Olakulehin, citing an ongoing legal battle Ladoja had initiated challenging their positions as beaded crown-wearing Obas.
Efforts to resolve the dispute were unsuccessful until Ladoja withdrew his case, allowing the Council to nominate Oba Olakulehin and send the nomination to the state government. This resolution cleared the path for Governor Makinde’s approval, ensuring the enthronement process of the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Akinloye Owolabi Olakulehin.
