Ajimobi Merely Staged Play With 21 Beaded-crown Obas- Ladoja
Former governor of Oyo State, Rashidi Ladoja has criticized Governor Abiola Ajimobi over the elevation and installation of high and senior chiefs to Obaship status, saying that the way and manner the coronation was done looked like a stage play to him.
Speaking with journalists at his Bodija residence, Ladoja declared that “I saw what happened on Sunday in Mapo as a theatre, it is a stage play. The new ‘Obas’ were appointed by the government and not the Ibadan traditional institution”.
According to Ladoja, who is the only one among members of Olubadan-in-council that is yet to accept the elevation, Ibadan monarchs are coronated on Fridays and not on a Sunday as done earlier this week.
“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 issued letters and coronated them on Sunday. Ibadan Obas are coronated on Fridays,” he said.
He accused the Ajimobi of plans to bribe members of the State House of Assembly. He, however, warned the legislators against being compromised when the issue is taken to the House.
He said, “I only want to warn the legislature that they should go 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 three Obas, why not in Saki?
“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”.
Insisting that the government did not have any power to dabble into the traditional institution, Ladoja however said that the new Obas can be removed from office even if they spend15 years on the “government assigned positions”.
“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.
“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 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,” he said.
