Segun Atanda/
Former Oyo State Governor, Rashidi Ladoja, has described his ascension to the throne of Olubadan of Ibadanland as coincidental, pointing out that he was born in 1944 and will now be crowned as the 44th Olubadan of the ancient city.
His coronation has been fixed for Friday, September 26, 2025, a day after his 81st birthday.
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, formally approved Ladoja’s nomination during a visit to the Olubadan-designate at his Bodija residence in Ibadan yesterday.
The governor announced the coronation date and also named former Chairman of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, Bayo Oyero, as chairman of the coronation committee.
The full list of committee members is still being awaited.
Ladoja, who returned to Ibadan on Monday, became Olubadan-designate following the death of his predecessor, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, on July 7.
Speaking earlier in the week, he said he would meet with Governor Makinde, the Oluwo, and the Araba to facilitate his installation, which he noted carried symbolic coincidences linked to both his birth year and his position as the 44th Olubadan.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly and Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Debo Ogundoyin, has congratulated Ladoja on his official confirmation.
Ogundoyin described the development as momentous, saying Ladoja’s combination of royalty, experience, and statesmanship would usher in a new era of peace, wisdom, and progress for Ibadan.
In a statement by his media office, the Speaker commended Governor Makinde for granting swift approval to the nomination by the Olubadan-in-Council, while upholding the revered tradition of the Ibadan chieftaincy system.
“Congratulations to Ladoja on his ascension to the enviable throne of Olubadan of Ibadanland. May your reign bring enduring unity, prosperity, and renewed glory to Ibadanland and the entire Oyo State,” Ogundoyin stated.
He noted that the emergence of the 44th Olubadan is both symbolic and unifying, reflecting the uniqueness of Ibadan’s traditional succession process, which he hailed as one of the most peaceful and credible in Nigeria.
“The seamless emergence of a new Olubadan without rancour is a strong testament to the strength and dignity of the Ibadan traditional institution. It is a model worthy of emulation across the country,” he added.
Ogundoyin called on all indigenes and residents of Ibadan to support the incoming monarch and participate fully in the forthcoming coronation ceremony.
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