BY AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
The four-year-old crisis rocking the Ibadan Obaship institution appeared to have been laid to rest on Thursday as the members of the Olubadan-in-Council agreed to drop their crowns to revert to the old system of ascendancy to the stool of the Olubadan of Ibadanland.
In keeping with the directive by Governor Seyi Makinde that the old system must be maintained in the interest of peace, the High Chiefs who were promoted to the status of obas by former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, agreed to jettison the elevation and embrace peace.
The decision was taken at the meeting held at the Oja’ba Palace of the Olubadan of Ibadanland with members of the Olubadan-in-Council, the baales and some Mogajis in attendance.
The Osi-Balogun, High Chief Tajudeen Ajibola, who briefed journalists on the outcome of the meeting, said that the High Chiefs agreed with the decision of the governor that the affected chiefs should to revert to the original system.
Ajibola stated that the process of nominating the next Olubadan, which the kingmakers concluded on Tuesday and forwarded to the government, was done in line with the old system of ascension.
He said, ”We agreed with the governor. All the processes leading to the nomination of successor to the late Olubadan were in line with the original concept in accordance with the Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration.”
The controversy on the Ibadan traditional system dates back to 2017 when former governor Abiola Ajimobi (now late), reformed the age-long system.
The late Olubadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, with the Osi-Olubadan, former governor Rashidi Ladoja, were opposed to the reform, thereby challenging it in court.
Governor Makinde, on Tuesday, during his condolence visit to the Popoyemoja palace of the late Oba Adetunji, publicly denounced the reform carried out by his predecessor, saying that he rejected the reform and reverted to the former system.
