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The 21 new obas enthroned across Ibadan land last year have responded to an assertion by Senator Rashidi Ladoja, that the court judgement that nullified their enthronement automatically bars them from wearing beaded crowns.
Ladoja made the assertion on a radio programme on Monday.
Recently, he also accused some of the obas of flouting the court order as one of them wore the crown to Kano, to attend the wedding ceremony between the children of Governors Abiola Ajimobi and Abdullahi Ganduje, threatening to report the matter to the court.
But rising from a meeting at the Oja’ba palace of the Olubadan of Ibadan on Thursday, the monarchs vowed not to stop wearing their crowns because their appeal against the January 11 judgment means that the status quo ante remains.
They accused Ladoja of vendetta, alleging that the former governor was opposed to the review of the Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration because he failed in his bid to carry it out when he was governor.
Addressing reporters, the Osi Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola, pointed out that “there was no declaration that we should not wear our crowns. We have appealed the judgment. I wore my crown to Kano and no policeman can arrest me because of that. The status quo remains since we have appealed the judgment. What Ladoja is in court over is mere ruse”.
The Ekarun Olubadan, Oba Amidu Ajibade Salaudeen, buttressing Oba Ajibola’s position, said: “We have been crowned and nobody can remove it. Why didn’t Ladoja implement what he had published? No governor has ever done so much as Ajimobi. Governor Jemibewon crowned Oba Adebimpe just as Ajimobi has done to us. Oba Saliu Adetunji, the Imperial Majesty, Olubadan of Ibadanland, is our father and we appreciate that. But whoever wants to destroy the peace of Ibadanland will not succeed. We appeal to Ladoja to please cooperate with our governor for peace to reign”
Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who is the Balogun Olubadan, remarked: “Everywhere Ladoja is, he always destroys it. He needs to go for spiritual cleansing because the curse inflicted on him by the late Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu is what is still troubling him till today. Since we have gone to Appeal Court, the status quo remains and so nobody can restrain us from wearing our crowns.”
Oba Lekan Balogun, who is the Head of the Olubadan-in-Council, however, appealed to Ladoja, who he described as ‘my other brother” to “let bye gone be bye gone, and allow peace to reign”.