KEY POINTS
- Rashidi Ladoja ascends the Olubadan throne.
- Citizens expect unity, security, and cultural pride.
- The coronation signals a turning point for Ibadan.
Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja will be anointed the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland on Saturday, September 26. This will be a big day in the history of the old city of Ibadan.
His enthronement is not only the end of a long line of successors, but it is also the beginning of a new era in Yoruba traditional leadership. Many residents in the city, which has long been known for its political and cultural influence, are happy and hopeful about Ladoja’s rise to power.
From politics to the palace
Ladoja’s family sold cocoa when he was born in 1944. He went to school in Belgium to learn about chemical engineering before working for Total Nigeria and Nigerian Breweries. He later got involved in politics and served as governor of Oyo State from 2003 to 2007. Ladoja had a lot of troubles when he was in power, but they made him more famous in the country.
He has moved up the strange hierarchy of Ibadan’s traditional system, from Jagun Olubadan to Otun Olubadan. He is now king after serving the public for many years. Many people think that his rule will be both visible and focused on making changes because of his past in politics.
The city’s hopes for peace and progress
The Olubadan stool is different from other stools in Yorubaland because it has a predetermined path that makes it less probable for succession disputes to develop. But the system has been put to the test by disputes and arguments in the previous few years.
Many people believe in Ladoja that he could unite people. “Ibadan needs a father who will bring us all together,” said Chief Adediran Olayinka, a member of the Olubadan-in-Council. Everyone in the community feels the same way: they hope that the new king will rise above politics, make things safer, and get the economy back on track.
Women who work in the market and leaders in the community want roads, trash collection, and safety to get better. Cultural activists want to see more festivals, heritage tourism, and digital archives that show off Ibadan’s long and interesting history.
Finding a way to balance the past with the present
When the Ooni of Ife came to visit recently, Ladoja promised that peace would be his top priority during his rule. Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Ooni, told people to be careful and said, “not all visitors have good intentions.” He also talked about how important it is for Yoruba kings to work together.
But there are still problems to come. The city still has a lot of problems with crime. People will also be watching Ladoja’s political neutrality closely because of his past. The people want real changes in education, health, and giving young people more power, but the Olubadan’s strength is mostly moral, not financial.
People say that what he does at first will set the tone, like picking palace advisers, starting social projects, and holding security councils. A lot of people see the coronation as a chance for Ibadan to combine its old ways with its new goals.
“The Olubadan is our father. Alhaji Sikiru Ajibola, a merchant at Dugbe market, commented, “If he succeeds, Ibadan succeeds.”
Ibadan is eager, hopeful, and feels that Rashidi Ladoja may create a new chapter in the city’s history as the drums roll and the passion increases.
