Pius Nsabe
Almost one year after Ibadanland welcomed a new monarch in Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, the ancient Yoruba city is again preparing for another royal transition. Former Oyo State governor and respected high chief, Senator Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja, is set to become the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland, following the passing of Olakulehin barely a year into his reign.
The late Oba Olakulehin, who was crowned on July 12, 2024, at the iconic Mapo Hall in a grand ceremony attended by President Bola Tinubu and a host of political, traditional, and industrial elites, is remembered for being the second monarch to reign from a purpose-built palace at Oke-Aremo. The ultramodern palace was commissioned by Governor Seyi Makinde and is now the official residence of the Olubadan.
Historically, Olubadan ascension follows a well-established chieftaincy structure that alternates between two lines — the Balogun (military) and the Otun (civil) lines. The late Olakulehin hailed from the Balogun line and spent 38 years rising through its ranks from Jagun Balogun before attaining the throne. With his passing, the succession automatically shifts to the Otun line, where High Chief Rasheed Ladoja currently serves as the Otun Olubadan, the highest-ranking figure in the line.
A towering figure in Oyo State politics and chieftaincy affairs, Rasheed Ladoja has long been a household name in Ibadan and Nigerian public life.
Born on September 24, 1944, in the Gambari area of Ibadan, Ladoja attended Ibadan Boys High School from 1958 to 1963 and Olivet Baptist High School from 1964 to 1965. He pursued higher education in Belgium, earning a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Liège between 1966 and 1972.
Ladoja’s first taste of national politics came in 1993 when he was elected senator during Nigeria’s short-lived Third Republic, under the platform of the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP), during General Sani Abacha’s transition programme.
In 2000, he became a director at Standard Trust Bank, leveraging his technical and managerial expertise.
He returned to politics in full force and was elected governor of Oyo State on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in April 2003. However, his tenure was turbulent. A major fallout with political godfather and PDP strongman, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, over appointments and resource allocation triggered a bitter political feud.
In January 2006, Ladoja was controversially impeached by the Oyo State House of Assembly and removed from office, paving the way for his deputy, Adebayo Alao-Akala, to become governor. The legal battle that followed ended in Ladoja’s favour when the Appeal Court and subsequently the Supreme Court nullified the impeachment, leading to his reinstatement in December 2006.
Despite his reinstatement, internal party tensions remained, and Ladoja was unable to secure the PDP’s gubernatorial ticket for the 2007 elections. He later threw his support behind the Action Congress in the local government elections.
In August 2008, Ladoja was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations involving the diversion of N1.9 billion proceeds from the sale of state-owned shares during his time as governor. He was detained briefly and granted bail by a Federal High Court in Lagos.
Undeterred, Ladoja contested the Oyo governorship elections in 2011 and 2015 under the Accord Party but lost to the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi. He later shifted affiliations to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and eventually to the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), before finally retiring from active politics in 2018 to focus on traditional responsibilities.
Though initially reluctant to embrace certain traditional titles—he notably rejected a ceremonial beaded crown during Ajimobi’s administration—Ladoja eventually accepted it. On August 12, 2024, the late Oba Olakulehin formally presented him with the crown, marking a symbolic reconciliation between tradition and modern political experience.
Ladoja’s ascension follows a clear succession tradition rooted in Ibadan’s unique chieftaincy system. Unlike many other Yoruba towns where succession to the throne is hereditary, Ibadan’s system is merit-based and rotational. A prospective Olubadan must patiently rise through the chieftaincy ranks in either the Otun or Balogun line over several decades.
Ladoja’s journey began many years ago, and his patience and enduring relevance across political and cultural spheres now position him as the next Olubadan. His tenure is anticipated to mark a convergence of modern governance experience and traditional Yoruba royalty.
As Ibadan prepares to crown its 44th Olubadan, the historic city is again at the cusp of another transition, reinforcing the resilience and dignity of its unique monarchy. All eyes now turn to the formal announcement and coronation ceremonies that will officially usher Senator Rasheed Ladoja into the revered seat of Olubadan of Ibadanland.