The outcome of the peace meeting between the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, and the high chiefs who were elevated by Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi is being threatened by a brewing rift between the elevated high chiefs and the Osi Olubadan, Rashidi Ladoja.
After almost a year of shunning the palace, representatives of the new kings and Ladoja met with the Olubadan in what was believed to be a peace meeting that would resolve the differences between the king and his high chiefs.
But after Ladoja told journalists that a letter written by the Olubadan which was meant to stop the income of the new kings from their council areas forced them to release the salaries of the monarch and his members of staff, which they had withheld for 11 months and seek a truce, the new kings in a statement signed by six of them accused Ladoja of being behind the insistence of Olubadan not to recognise them as kings.
They also accused Ladoja of influencing the monarch because of his hatred for Ajimobi.
The statement said, “The Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters enjoined us to release the outstanding monthly allowances of the king in the interest of peace. Ladoja seems jealous of our elevation. The high chiefs have become obas under the Imperial Majesty, Olubadan, while we are still members of the Olubadan-in-Council.
“Ladoja should stop insulting us, we are not his stooges. When we go to the Olubadan-in-Council meeting, we will go as obas-in-Council under Olubadan chairmanship. We are not calling ourselves what we are not.”
In his response, through a statement released by Ladoja’s aide, Lanre Latinwo, on Thursday, the former governor blamed the crisis on the new kings’ romance with the state government to the detriment of customs and traditions.
He said, “The Osi Olubadan has urged his colleagues in the Olubadan-in-Council to stop chasing shadows by reducing the Ibadan chieftaincy crisis to personal attack. Apparently reacting to the statement credited to the government appointed Obas that he (Ladoja) is the cause of their rift with Olubadan, the Osi Olubadan made it abundantly clear that the embattled high chiefs might not have been aware that the root cause was their romance with the government.
“The problem started with petition writing to the state governor from one of the high chiefs which was endorsed by others. He warned them to stop it. The former governor restated his claim that it was Olubadan’s letter that promoted the release of the monarch’s salaries.”
