“Ladoja’s emergence as Olubadan-elect is a testament to integrity, patience, and faith in due process. It is also a reminder that tradition, when anchored in justice, can withstand the storms of opportunism”
By Dare Adeleke
What is destined cannot be overturned; the heavens themselves will guide the seekers of truth.
The announcement of Senator Rashidi Ladoja as the Olubadan-elect is not merely the confirmation of a successor to Ibadan’s ancient stool. It is a powerful reaffirmation of tradition, resilience, and integrity in the face of political interference.
Few can forget the turbulence of 2017, when the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi attempted to recast Ibadan’s revered chieftaincy structure for political ends. By turning senior chiefs against one another during the reign of Olubadan Saliu Adetunji, he fractured an institution that had stood the test of centuries. The governor’s promise of honour and recognition proved a hollow lure, one designed to dilute the sanctity of succession by multiplying kingships.
Senator Ladoja, however, stood apart. He refused to be tempted by position or prestige. Instead, he took the matter to court, challenging the move to destroy a lineage of succession that has long defined the city’s political and cultural identity. In refusing Ajimobi’s offer of kingship, Ladoja made a sacrifice that, at the time, seemed to cost him the crown. But as the Yoruba remind us, Omi tí yóò t’ẹ́ni, kì í gbàgbé ẹ̀ – the water meant for you will never pass you by.
Today, history has vindicated him. Ladoja’s emergence as Olubadan-elect is a testament to integrity, patience, and faith in due process. It is also a reminder that tradition, when anchored in justice, can withstand the storms of opportunism.
Ibadan awaits its new monarch with hope and expectation. For those who have followed his career, there is little doubt that his reign will be marked by progress, wisdom, and above all, justice; qualities that have defined his public life.
As the city prepares for a resplendent coronation, the people say with one voice: Kabiyesi ooo! May your reign be long.
