Kingmakers- Adetunji’s coronation as Olubadan holds on Friday

                        
                                Saliu Adetunji
The Olubadan-in-Council on Tuesday said the coronation of the Olubadan-designate, Saliu Adetunji, as the 41st Olubadan of Ibadanland, would go on as planned on Friday.

The announcement came after the head of Seriki line in Ibadan, Chief Adebayo Oyediji, said on Monday that he had approached the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan, seeking an order to charge Adetunji for contempt of court and to commit the Olubadan-in-waiting to prison if installed as the next Ibadan monarch.

The Otun Olubadan, High Chief Lekan Balogun, who addressed newsmen in Ibadan ahead of the coronation ceremony, said the Olubadan-in-Council had decided to fill the vacuum left behind after the death of Oba Samuel Odugade.

Balogun, who is the Chairman of the Coronation Committee, added that only the Balogun and Otun lines were recognised in the Olubadan succession plan.

He added, “While the Otun Olubadan line is known as the civil line, the Balogun line is the military line. The kingmakers for the Olubadan of Ibadanland are empowered by the extant 1957 Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration to propose as candidate the most senior chief in line, whose turn is to fill a vacancy in the stool of Olubadan.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the aforementioned declaration states that ‘the line, whose turn it is to present a candidate, shall nominate a candidate for the chieftaincy at a meeting of the kingmakers, to be summoned by the most senior chief of the chieftaincy line not presenting the candidate’.”

Balogun said having satisfied all the conditions, the Olubadan-in-Council had appointed Adetunji as the new Olubadan of Ibadanland.

A member of the coronation committee, Tajudeen Ajibola, said there was no law that recognised the Seriki line as a succession line to the Olubadan throne.

He explained that the position of Seriki was last occupied by the late Chief Adisa Akinloye.

On Friday, the Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, will become the first governor to present a staff of office to two Olubadan when he installs Adetunji as the next Ibadan monarch at the Mapo Hall arcade.