Enthronement of Oba Owolabi Olakulehin as the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland has taken another twist as the Otun Olubadan, High Chief Rasidi Ladoja, and other kingmakers have differed on the signing of terms of settlement to facilitate the process.
High Chief Ladoja had expressed his readiness to withdraw the suit initiated against other members of Olubadan in Council but on condition that the two parties must sign terms of settlement as prepared.
He made this known while playing host to the visiting Compound Heads of Ibadanland otherwise known as Mogaji led by Chief Asimiyu Ariori at his Bodija residence on Wednesday.
According to Ladoja, “Myself and other members of Olubadan-in-Council have been sitting together and talking. We have accepted to withdraw the case from court.
“I heard that they have started signing the agreement. After all of them have signed, I will also sign my own aspect, and the next day, we will file for withdrawal of the case from court.
However, other members of Olubadan in Council who are defendants in the suit have argued that there is no need for signing any terms of settlement paper as they have already abided by the 1957 declaration.
The meeting which had in attendance, Osi Balogun, Oba Lateef Gbadamosi Adebimpe, Asipa Olubadan Oba Abiodun Kola-Daisi, Asipa Balogun, Kola Adegbola, Ekerin Balogun, Oba John Isioye-Dada, and Ekaarun Olubadan, Oba Adebayo Akande was held at Oja’ba palace, Ibadan on Thursday.
The Otun Olubadan, High Chief Rasidi Ladoja, Osi Olubadan, Oba Eddy Oyewole, Otun Balogun Oba Tajudeen Ajibola, Ekerin Olubadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade Salaudeen, and Ekaarun Balogun, Oba Abiodun Azeeez were absent at the meeting.
Oba Adebimpe while speaking on behalf of other members of the Council in attendance said that event has overtaken the term of reference as contained in the agreement paper, hence no need to sign it.
He said that they have resolved to comply with the 1957 Chieftancy Declaration which empowers the most Senior High Chief who is High Chief Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja to convene the meeting of Olubadan in Council.
According to him, Events have overtaken the terms of settlement as stated in the paper being prepared for us to append our signatures.
“We have read through it and discovered that the terms of settlement have been met which is a strict compliance with the 1957 Chieftancy Declaration.
“We realized that our actions and deeds must be in accordance with the 1957 Declaration that is why we honored his invitation for a meeting for the nomination of Oba Owolabi Olakulehin as the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland.
He had called a similar meeting that we all refused to attend but we were later made to know that we had acted contrary to the provision of the 1957 Chieftancy Declaration.
Our attendance at the meeting showed that we are complying with the Declaration.
The nomination letter is with the State government what is left now is for High Chief Ladoja to withdraw the pending case in court in order to facilitate the installation of the new Olubadan.
Speaking in the same vein, the Asipa Olubadan, Oba Abiodun Kola Daisi disclosed that a similar scenario of litigation played itself out two years ago when the Governor insisted that he would not give any approval for enthronement of a new monarch until the case is withdrawn.
According to him, “We had a similar problem before the installation of the immediate past Kabiyesi, Late Oba Sen Lekan Balogun. We instituted a court case against the government.
Because of this, the Governor insisted that he would not approve the installation of the new Olubadan until the case is withdrawn.
The plaintiffs in the suit, ten of us came together and withdrew the case unconditionally from the Court.
Two years down the lane, the same situation is playing itself out again. There is a case in court, not from our side but from our Otun Olubadan who has insisted that he would not join rank with us as crown-wearing Kings but today the matter has been resolved.
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The new Olubadan has been recommended. We are waiting for the approval from the government but there is a case in the court that needs to be withdrawn.
The terms of settlement as contained in the agreement paper that we are expected to sign have been overtaken by events.
We are asked to sign that we will abide by the 1957 Chieftancy Declaration. We are already doing that. What are we signing again?
The summary of the terms of settlement is that we are going to follow the 1957 Chieftancy Declaration in choosing another Olubadan.
What does that Declaration say? It says Otun Olubadan, the highest ranking on the other side will convene the meeting of the kingmakers.
He called the meeting the first time but we refused to attend because our statuses are different.
But we realized that we have acted outside the Declaration as we later complied with his directives.
The nomination of the new Olubadan has reached the government. We are waiting for the approval.”