Ajimobi Installs 21 New Obas For Ibadan
Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has presented certificates and staff of office to 24 chiefs, who were among the 33 recently elevated to the status of Obas in Ibadan, following the adoption of the recommendations of a judicial commission of inquiry earlier inaugurated by the governor.
The colourful ceremony, held at the arcade of the historic Mapo Hall, Ibadan, on Sunday, was attended by prominent Ibadan elders, socio-cultural groups, opinion leaders and a large number of Ibadan citizens.
The event marked a turning point in the history of the ancient city, which used to have the Olubadan of Ibadanland as the only beaded crown wearing oba, in its 11 Local Governments and with a population of about four million.
The 11 members of the Olubadan-in-council were elevated to the status of Oba, with the prefix of ‘his royal majesty,’ but only eight were available for the event, following the death of two high chiefs and the refusal of Osi Olubadan, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, to be part of the process.
Thirteen ancient bales from different towns in Ibadanland were also promoted to the position of obas, with the prefix of ‘his royal highness.’
All the newly promoted Obas will be under the authority of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, who will be the only ‘imperial majesty,’ while none of them will add the suffix ‘land’ to his title.
Due to the vacancies in the stool of nine chieftaincies, who have also been elevated to the status obaship, the nine towns were not represented at the occasion.
Speaking at the event, the governor said that the state government followed due process in conducting the exercise, stressing that all extant laws had been complied with, while he said that the exercise was not encumbered by any legal impediment.
Ajimobi debunked the insinuations being peddled by those he called political opponents to the effect that the promotion was targeted at witling down the influence and authority of the Olubadan as the supreme monarch in Ibadanland.
The governor said that the initiative was borne out of a strong sense of patriotism and a resolve to elevate, uplift, transform and reposition the chieftaincy institution of Ibadanland.
He quoted a famous author, Henry James, who once said that ‘a tradition is kept alive only by something being added to it,’ to buttress his point.
