President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwakwanso, and others are among dignitaries expected at the coronation of the new Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja.
Bboth Tinubu and Ladoja served in the Senate during the aborted Third Republic. Also, while Tinubu was serving his second term as Lagos State Governor, Ladoja was serving as Governor in Oyo State.
Oba Ladoja, a former Senator and Governor in Oyo State, is billed to be installed as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland next week Friday, September 26, 2025, at the historic Mapo Hall, Ibadan.
Oba Ladoja, a few days ago, while receiving some visitors who came to pay him a courtesy visit at his Bodija residence, had earlier said President Tinubu and other top dignitaries had reached out to him and promised to be in attendance at his coronation.
The Chairman of the Coronation Committee of the 44th Olubadan, Chief Bayo Oyero, while speaking with journalists during a press conference held at the Olubadan Palace in Oke-Aremo, Ibadan, also confirmed that President Tinubu and other eminent personalities would be in attendance at the coronation of the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland.
Oyero described the installation of Ladoja as the new Olubadan as a great cultural and historical significance, adding that the installation will not just be a coronation but a reaffirmation of the unique and timeless chieftaincy system of Ibadanland.
He said the Ibadan succession process is a testament to its democratic and orderly tradition, a system that has ensured peace and stability for generations.
He said: “The ascension of Oba Ladoja is a journey of many years back, a path meticulously followed and guided by the wisdom of the ancestors.”
He noted that Ladoja, being a former Senator, Governor, and now Olubadan, is equipped with a unique understanding of the grassroots to the corridor of power.
He, however, said Ibadan people are confident that Ladoja would bring his wealth of experience to the throne, leading Ibadanland into a new era of progress, peace, and prosperity.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters in the state, Hon. Ademola Ojo, described the Olubadan stool as a revered stool and a pride of cultural identity not just to Ibadanland but to Yorubaland and Nigeria as a whole.
He said Ladoja’s coronation signifies unity, peace, and a fundamental celebration of Yoruba heritage.
He, however, thanked Governor Seyi Makinde for his exemplary leadership and respect for traditional institutions.
In attendance at the event were the President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Barr. Ajeniyi Ajewole; Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade; Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun; the Ekeerin Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Hamidu Ajibade; Coordinator, Ibadan Compound Peace Initiatives (ICPI), Mogaji Nurudeen Akinade; and media aide to the Olubadan-designate, Adeola Oloko, among others.
- Media Report