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The crisis that trailed the 2017 Olubadan chieftaincy appear to have been finally settled as some Ibadan high chiefs accepted their elevation to the next ranks on Friday.
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, promoted the five high chiefs at a ceremony held at his Popoyemoja palace in Ibadan.
The high chiefs, who attended the ceremony with their wives and extended family members, were received amid jokes and back slapping.
At the ceremony, High Chief Tajudeen Ajibola was elevated from Osi Balogun to Otun Balogun; High Chief Lateef Gbadamosi Adebimpe moved from Asipa Balogun to Osi Balogun; High Chief Kolawole Adegbola from the rank of Ekerin Balogun to Asipa Balogun; Senior Chief John Isioye Dada was elevated from Abese Balogun to Ekerin Balogun, while Senior Chief Abiodun Agagagugu was promoted from Maye Balogun to Ekerin Balogun of Ibadanland.
According to a statement made available to journalists by Director of Media and Publicity to Olubadan, Adeola Oloko, the two and half years deadlock over the chieftaincy promotion into the Olubadan-in-Council had been broken.
He said: “The decision to elevate the High Chiefs came on the heels of their recommendation by the Olubadan, the consenting and prescribed authority on all chieftaincy matters in Ibadanland, to Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, who approved the elevation via a letter dated December 12, 2019 and sent to Olubadan.
“At the impressive ceremony held at the palace were all but one high chief who was unavoidably absent, having sent an apology through his wife. In the Balogun line, only the Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief Owolabi Olakulehin, was present at the meeting as those affected by the elevation fall into Balogun line.”
The statement noted that with development, peace had returned to the Olubadan-in-Council.
An elated Olubadan commended the Oyo State Government, saying the high chiefs would soon be served their posting instructions into different local government traditional councils, where they would be representing the Olubadan.
He charged the newly promoted chiefs not to relent in their commitment to the cause of Ibadanland.
Speaking on behalf of the promoted High Chiefs, the new Ekerin Balogun, Chief Isioye Dada, disclosed that the promotion came two years after the positions has been vacant.
“God makes everything beautiful at his own time. But for the crisis that rocked the Ibadan traditional system, the exercise would have long been held,” Dada said.
He said the crisis could not be described as either good or bad because any of the conclusions would be subjective, adding that the chiefs would do everything within their capacity to advance the cause of the downtrodden in Ibadanland.
The high chiefs at the event were the Otun Olubadan, Lekan Balogun; Osi-Olubadan, Sen. Rashidi Ladoja; Ashipa Olubadan, Eddy Oyewole; Ekerin Olubadan, Biodun Kola-Daisi, and Ekarun Olubadan, Hamidu Ajbade.