Anarchy Looms As Ibadan Traditional Council Crisis Deepens
The newly promoted Obas have accused the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji of denigrating the Olubadan institution by indulging in illegal practices., saying his excesses could throw the ancient city into a state of anarchy.
The Olubadan-in-Council while speaking through the Otun Olubadan, Oba Lekan Balogun, after a meeting held at Mapo Hall on Monday, said the actions of the paramount ruler called for urgent caution in order to forestall crisis.
Balogun, who lamented the crisis within the traditional council since the promotion of the new Obas, said it was sad that the Olubadan was destroying the system that brought him to the throne as a king.
He said rather than recognise the position of the Olubadan-in-Council, Oba Adetunji conferred the duties of the entire council on one of his wives who rules by proxy.
Balogun said, “We want to draw the attention of the people of Ibadan to some irregularities and illegalities embarked upon by the Olubadan, we are members of the Olubadan-in-Council but we are being sidelined by the Olubadan.
“Against tradition, Oba Soliu is running a one-man-show, disregarding the Council. He appoints Mogajis and Baales without making any recourse to the Council. Most of the things that he does are illegal.
“For instance, the Olori is not a member of the Olubadan-in-Council but in his own case, the Olori unilaterally takes decisions on his behalf.
“If Olubadan thinks we do not matter, we also can show that he doesn’t matter without us. He should not forget that when he was to be made the Olubadan, he rose through the Council. We (the Olubadan-in-Council) made Olubadan out of him, he did not make us what we are, but we made him the Olubadan”.
The Obas noted that, “Kabiyesi, Oba Adetunji has turned the institution of Olubadan into personal affairs which can be run at his wife’s whims and caprices, but which amounts to illegality. Contrary to their belief at the Popoyemoja palace that Olubadan is an authority unto himself, we are telling the whole world that Olubadan only exists with his council.
“The danger of what they are doing in the palace has been manifesting in the ridiculous action of appointing two or more Mogajis from the same compound, honouring people with Mogaji title based on friendship as well as cash and carry award of Baales to undeserving people”, the Obas stated further.
Insisting that they would not fold their arms and allow Oba Adetunji to continue to rubbish the institution that had endured more than a century, the Obas said their silence over the various infractions of the Popoyemoja palace in the last two years was to avoid crisis in the state capital, adding, “we are by today’s resolution alerting the Ibadans both at home and in the diaspora of the excesses of the palace”.
While contributing to the Obas’ submission, Oba Abiodun Kola-Daisi and Oba Hamidu Ajibade said there had been series of efforts by both individuals and organizations to ensure that peace reigns in the Olubadan-in-Council but lamented that all such efforts had been scuttled by the wife of Kabiyesi (Olori Rasheedat) who insisted that her husband would not sit with his members of council.
The Obas warned the newly installed Mogajis and baales in Ibadan not to see their appointment as legal, saying that their installations should be backed by the Council before being recognised.
“As we stand, we have legal or drastic reactions to what is happening but we don’t want to create tension in Ibadan,” he said.
