Olubadan-designate, Oba Senator Rashidi Ladoja, has warned against idleness, saying the era of Ibadan obas sitting down in the palace and reveling in opulence would become history during his reign.
The incoming Olubadan of Ibadanland also asked every Ibadan sons and daughters, both at home and in the Diaspora, to prepare to roll up their sleeves in readiness for serious work to move the ancient metropolis forward.
Oba Ladoja, a former governor of Oyo State, made the declaration when he hosted members of the Aliiwo Ruling House at his Ondo Street, Old Bodija Housing Estate, Ibadan residence.
The Aliiwo Family had visited the Olubadan-designate to felicitate him on his ascension of the throne and also in cherished honour of the memory of his friendship and brotherliness with their patriarch, the late Oba Dr. Senator Lekan Balogun, CFR, Alli Okunmade II, the 42nd Olubadan.
The Olubadan-designate explained that the challenges confronting the palaces these days are enormous as the custodian of people’s tradition and culture, adding that the throne must be put to good work, in order not to fail the people.
“In my own case, the expectations are very high. I am aware and they are not misplaced going by where one is coming from.
“I am prepared to roll up my sleeves and equally ready to conscript anybody I know has something to offer.
“Our land is blessed with resources, both human and natural, the resources only need to be harnessed for the good of all and this is what I am going to do.
“I know a lot of things my late brother, Oba Lekan Balogun, would have loved to do but was incapacitated. We are taking the baton to up our game in Ibadan.
“God has blessed us in so many ways. Unlike in other places where they have to consult Ifa and or rely on other means before their obas are picked, only God chooses who becomes Olubadan for us by bestowing such a person with longevity of life.
“In a way, we are a model. Again, our metropolis has, for ages, been a model, not by the making of any man, but by God.
“It is time to take it farther by giving other places more things to look up to Ibadan for and we are surely going to do that.
“We just have to leverage on the existing contacts God has made for us over the years, either as a businessman or politician elected as a senator and governor at different times.
“I have started asking questions on why is Leyland Motors not working? What happened to Nigeria Wire and Cable in Apata?
“Are we no more building houses to require the purchase of their products attested to be the best in West Africa while operating? Why should Exide Batteries go yonder or our vehicles don’t operate on batteries again?
“All these and many more are some of the issues staring us in the face and the very reason why we cannot be reveling in the glamour of the throne.
“I have sent strong signals to our respective family compounds and communities through our mogajis and baales on the issue of security, though, most of these title holders don’t reside in their compounds or communities as a mark of status upgrade.
“As much as no one frowns at such upgrade, the fact remains that their sources must not be abandoned only for criminals to turn such to crime haven where hemps are sold and smoking among other vices.
“I have given them an example at Isale-Osi, my source and how I want to make the Olubadan Throne relevant to the place with a stern warning to the miscreants to either change their ways of life or entirely vacate the area.
“I have repeatedly warned that any mogaji or baale of any family compound or community found to be inhabited by criminally-minded individuals or group of persons or being put up for illicit business should consider himself unfit of such a position and be ready for removal.
“There have been examples of such removal in the past, occasioned by land grabbing offence. So, it is nothing new.
“You can all see that we have enormous works at hand and I want to assure you that I am prepared.
“We won’t disappoint our people and we won’t fail God that, in His infinite mercy, grants us the grace and privilege of ascending the throne.
“I welcome the members of my late brother’s family and you should be rest assured that we are together on this journey,” Oba Ladoja stated.
Earlier, Dr. Senator Kola Balogun spoke on behalf of the Aliiwo Ruling House, most especially the Mogaji, Prince Kamaldeen Adeboye Giwa, whose absence was due to his Diaspora residency.
Balogun rejoiced with the family of the Olubadan-designate, noting that the Aliiwo Family feels at home with him because of the loving and cordial relationship that existed between him and the late Oba Lekan Balogun.
Balogun, a member of the Ninth Assembly from Oyo South Senatorial District, remarked that “Ibadan is highly blessed with resources, but the bane of the whole thing is the failure to harness all the resources.”
He said the failure has been responsible for the not too impressive achievements of the Ibadan metropolis in the socio-political arena of the country.
He recalled how he spearheaded the motion for the creation of Ibadan State during his tenure in the Senate, noting that his action then made the issue one of the many of such gaining national tracking.
He prayed that God would let the dream become real during the reign of Oba Ladoja as, according to him, because Ibadan deserved a state of its own.
Senator Balogun promised not to be far away from the Palace, and called on Ibadan indigenes, both at home and in the Diaspora, to key into the new vision, as espoused by the Olubadan-designate whenever he received visitors.
The former federal lawmaker also called for prayers for the Olubadan-designate to be able to accomplish his set objectives.
Another member of the family, Alhaji Tajudeen Aremu, mni, described Oba Ladoja as a creative person, recalling their days together at the Oyo State Government Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
Aremu was a Permanent Secretary in the Oyo State Civil Service during the tenure of the Olubadan-designate as the governor of the state and later became the state Head of Service.
Chief Aremu, who is Chief Bobajiro of Ibadanland, acknowledged that the expectations of the people from the incoming reign of the Olubadan-designate were very high.
“We have no excuse for failure this time around. The eternal truth that there are no bad leaders but bad followers is also a factor.
“Oba Ladoja, with whom I had robust interactions with when he was the governor is a listening leader and full of ideas.
“He is a leader that will not force his opinion on his subordinates. Rather, he will submit to superior arguments. He only needs the support of all to take Ibadan to the next level.
“He is the first former governor to become an oba. There is no monarch anywhere that Oba Ladoja cannot favourably compete with. God has blessed him with rich experiences through his various successful human endeavours.
“All these are what God is blessing us with in Ibadan this time around and we all need to rally round him.
“As a royal family, we have come to pledge our total support for your Majesty’s reign and by His special grace, Ibadan will witness remarkable and tremendous advancement under your glorious reign,” Chief Aremu added.
