“Only Ladoja Can Lead Nomination of New Olubadan”

The Otun Olubadan, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja is the only one who can summon a meeting of the Olubadan Advisory Council to nominate a new candidate for the Olubadan stool, Former attorney-general and commissioner for justice in Oyo State, Chief Michael Lana has clarifiied.

Lana’s reaction follows a boycott by other Ibadan chiefs, of a meeting called by Ladoja last Tuesday to discuss the ascension of the next Olubadan. Instead, the chiefs went ahead to hold a separate meeting.

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While speaking with Oyoinsight during an exclusive interview, the Former attorney-general and commissioner for justice in Oyo State warned the other chiefs to desist from ganging up against the traditions of Ibadan backed by laws.

He explained: “Under the Olubadan Declaration, only high chiefs and not Obas can nominate an Olubadan. If they toe this line of argument that a non-Oba could not chair the meeting of the ones, then their meeting is null and void and any nomination made by them as Obas is invalid.

“In law, we view the capacity in which a thing is to be done. A person usually has multiple capacities with each capacity controlled by different laws. In this case, the High Chiefs qua high chiefs have a role different from the high chiefs qua Obas.

“The elevated Obas are in dual capacity; one as Oba and the other as High Chief. As Obas, they cannot nominate a person for the stool of Olubadan; they can only do so as High Chiefs. In the latter capacity, their most senior chief is Chief Ladoja who is also the only person that can validly call a meeting for the purpose of nominating the candidate for the Olubadan stool. I think the elevated Obas should note this difference in their capacities.

“This is part of the problem I knew would happen ab initio. Let me break it down: In the process of nomination of a candidate to fill a chieftaincy, the first document you look at is the Chieftaincy Declaration pertaining to that Chieftaincy.

“In elevating the chiefs to Obas, their Chieftaincy Declarations were not amended. Under the defunct White Paper of Ajimobi, it was stated that the Obas would be chiefs under the Olubadan.

“Under the Declaration, the following are the Kingmakers: a) Otun Olubadan, b) Osi Olubadan, c) Ashipa Olubadan, d) Ekerin Olubadan, e) Iyalode f) The Balogun, g) Otun Balogun h) Osi Balogun, I)Ashipa Balogun, j) Ekerin Balogun and Seriki(which is no more)

“To nominate a candidate, the most senior Chief in the line that is NOT producing the candidate shall summon a meeting where the chiefs in the line that will produce the candidate shall do the nomination.

“Note that it doesn’t talk of an Oba in the lines but a chief. Secondly, Ladoja is the most senior in the line that is not producing the candidate and the only person that MUST summon the meeting,” Lana said.