>
The newly inaugurated obas in Ibadanland on Wednesday lashed out at the Osi Olubadan and former Governor of Oyo state, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, for describing them as obas without domain.
The Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin while briefing newsmen after their first meeting after inauguration, said that members of the Obas In Council formerly Olubadan-in-Council jointly and collectively hold Ibadanland as their domain .
According to him, each member of the Obas-in-Council, formerly Olubadan-in-Council is presiding over one of the eleven local government in Ibadanland, stating that they report back to the Olubadan on affairs in the local governments .
Describing Ladoja as a lone ranger in his opposition to the new system, the monarchs called on the former governor “to stop playing politics with the good step taken by governor Abiola Ajimobi on Ibadan chieftaincy matters”. They maintained that the generality of Ibadan people supported the course because it will bring development to Ibadanland.
They disclosed that all the press releases coming from the palace were written by Mr Adeola Oloko in connivance with Ladoja under whom he served as Chief Press Secretary when he was governor.
They stressed that the Olubadan, instead of opposing Ajimobi, should be praising him because it was his intervention and other Ibadan elders that led them to reconcile with the Olubadan when they boycotted his palace for over two months over attitude unbecoming of a royal father of his status.
Oba Olakulehin said: “It is a wrong impression by Ladoja that the newly inaugurated obas do not have domain , the Olubadan and members of Obas In Council jointly rule Ibadanland as Oba Adetunji cannot rule without us .
“Ladoja himself who said he cannot be an oba without a domain is chairman of Ibadan South West traditional council, and apart from collecting stipends from government all of us report back to the Olubadan.
“The coming together of Oba Adetunji and Ladoja is nothing but politics borne out of selfish motives , Oba Adetunji is always dancing to the tune of Ladoja who refused to support the Olubadan chieftaincy review because he was unable to implement it when he was governor of Oyo state.”
The monarchs added that in the history of the ancient city, no Olubadan has ever collected millions of naira to install either mogaji or baale, stressing that it ridicules the traditional institution of Ibadanland.
Other monarchs present at the meeting include Osi Balogun of Ibadanlan, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola , Ashipa Olubadan of Ibadanland , Oba Eddy Oyewole, Ashipa balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Lateef Adebimpe , Ekerin Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Abiodun Kola-Daisi, Ekarun balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Kolawole Adegbola, and Ekarun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Amidu Ajibade .