Members of the Olubadan Advisory Council will no longer function as high chiefs as they will be installed and henceforth be known as obas.
The 11 cabinet members of the advisory council will, today, receive beaded crowns from the Ibadan paramount ruler, Oba Sen. Lekan Balogun, CFR, Alli Okunmade II, and henceforth be addressed as Royal Majesties.
The Olubadan made this known in a press statement by his Personal Assistant (Media), Oladele Ogunsola.
The expected beneficiaries of the new titles include High Chiefs Owolabi Olakulehin, Rashidi Ladoja, Tajudeen Ajibola and Eddy Oyewole, the Balogun of Ibadanland, Otun Olubadan, Otun Balogun and Osi Olubadan, respectively.
Also included are High Chiefs Lateef Gbadamosi Adebimpe (Osi Balogun); Abiodun Kola-Daisi (Ashipa Olubadan); and Kolawole Adegbola (Ashipa Balogun).
Others are High Chiefs Hamidu Ajibade (Ekerin Olubadan); Dada Isioye (Ekerin Balogun); Adebayo Akande (Ekarun Olubadan); and Abiodun Dauda Azeez (Ekarun Balogun).
The installation ceremony will hold at the historic Mapo Hall in the heart of the Ibadan metropolis.
The Oyo State governor, Engineer ‘Seyi Makinde, is expected to present the Staff of Office to the former High Chiefs.
As stated in the statement, the occasion is expected to be witnessed by traditional rulers from various towns and cities across Yorubaland.
The event would later be followed by same exercise for some of the baales in Ibadanland who would start bearing Royal Highnesses.
It was further disclosed that the event was predicated on the request made by the Olubadan to the state government earlier this year to elevate his cabinet members to beaded crown-wearing obas.
This, it was said, was sequel to a report of a committee set up, comprising some of the High Chiefs, Ibadan notable indigenes and technocrats shortly after the inauguration of the Olubadan, last year.
Olubadan subsequently wrote a letter to Governor Makinde on 5 February, 2023 to request for the governor’s approval to perform the elevation exercise.
Oba Balogun wrote another letter, dated 14 June, 2023 and sighted by Newscoven.ng, to the governor, still on the subject-matter.
He stated in the letter: “In doing this [the elevation], I rely on the Chieftaincy Law in the state which confers on me the Prescribed and Consenting Authority over chieftaincy titles in my domain.
“The elevation, which would be held in two phase, would feature those of my High Chiefs who, after the elevation, would become His Royal Majesties.
“It is being proposed to be held in the first week in July, that is Friday, 7 July to be precise.”
Oba Balogun listed the aforementioned High Chiefs as members of his advisory council considered for the elevation exercise.
He added: “The list of the baales to be considered and who would be addressed as His Royal Highnesses would be communicated in due course.”
The Olubadan insisted that the elevation exercise “has nothing against the existing Ibadan traditional system, rather it would enhance it.
“The fears of alteration of the succession plan to the Olubadan Stool have no basis because the crowns and the new titles of Royal Majesties being conferred on the High Chiefs do not change anything in the hierarchy of Olubadan ascension method,” Oba Balogun assured in the release.
However, the decision of the Olubadan and the state government to install the 11 High Chiefs as obas may precipitate another round of legal tussle.
A similar attempt, made by the late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, ended up in a suit which was not resolved until after the demise of the 41st Olubadan, the late Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso I, in January 2022.
A source close to High Chief Rashidi Ladoja disclosed that the former governor of Oyo State may head to court to stop his colleagues from functioning as obas.
Ladoja had declared, last week, that he has no interest in becoming a beaded crown-wearing oba, saying his only ambition is to become the Olubadan and nothing else.
It remains to be seen if he will back down and accept to be among the High Chiefs that will be elevated as beaded crown-wearing obas.
