The Olubadan-designate, Oba Rasidi Ladoja, on Thursday attributed the lingering supremacy tussle between the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, to the actions of their followers rather than the monarchs themselves.
Speaking at his Bodija residence in Ibadan while receiving the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Alao, and his wife on a courtesy visit, Oba Ladoja decried the situation and urged supporters of the two monarchs to channel their energies towards the development of Yorubaland instead of fanning the embers of discord.
“I have always made people realise that neither the Ooni of Ife nor the Alaafin of Oyo is promoting disunity but their respective followers. These are the people who are trying to justify history, having forgotten the fact that history, most times, can be subjective. Alaafin cannot go to Ile-Ife and rule over the people there, and vice versa. The Ooni of Ife also has his own territory where he operates,” he said.
The Olubadan-designate likened the rivalry to colonial history, saying references made by supporters were outdated. “The kind of history their supporters are making reference to is like that of Britain colonising America. That was in the past. Today, if America sneezes, the entire Britain will catch cold,” he added.
On Ibadan’s place in Yoruba history, Oba Ladoja noted: “The position of Ibadan on this matter is well documented in history. Without the influence of Ibadan, the traditional title of the entire Obas in Yoruba land would have been ‘Emir’. We are not talking about Ibadan’s place in history now, but about modernising what is left of the former Ibadan Empire. We have commenced the process of modernisation, and all traditional rulers, including Baales and Mogajis, have critical roles to play.”
He stressed the importance of security and accountability, insisting that traditional leaders must reside within their communities. “First and foremost, we must ensure adequate security. All Baales and Mogajis must have buildings in their respective domains. The era of diaspora Mogajis and Baales is over. If there is a breach of security in any community, the Baales and Mogajis will be held accountable,” he declared.
Oba Ladoja also sought the support of the Olugbon to foster unity among Yoruba monarchs, describing his experience as invaluable.
In his remarks, Oba Alao described Oba Ladoja’s ascension as historic not only for Oyo State but for the country at large. “We have made history today, not only in Oyo State but across Nigeria, with the ascension of the former governor and senator to the throne of Olubadan. His emergence is a blessing to the Oyo State Traditional Council. It is an added value for us to have a monarch with such wealth of experience,” he said.
The Olugbon pledged his loyalty and support, stressing the need for cooperation among traditional rulers to drive socio-economic development. “I have assured Baba of my support during our telephone conversation. Oba Ladoja, as an entrepreneur, will fast-track the socio-economic growth of the state. With my consultation with other monarchs in the state, they have all agreed to work with him. Our roles as traditional rulers are advisory, not executive. By so doing, we will work with the government and stakeholders to develop our respective domains. The development of our respective domains should be our priority because we are the closest to the people,” he added.
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