Oyo state Governor, Ajimobi announces death of Olubadan, as Ibadan kingmakers back Adetunji as Olubadan-designate

Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi yesterday, formally announced the death of Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade 1.
Ajimobi made the announcement yesterday in his office after members of Olubadan-in-Council, led by the Balogun of Ibadanland, Chief Saliu Adetunji, who is the Olubadan- designate visited him in his office to intimate him of the king’s passage.
Thereafter, the governor who called for a minute silence and prayed for the repose of the late Olubadan, said: “It has been confirmed now, to me, by the chiefs that our father, the Olubadan passed away on Tuesday, January 19.
“We commiserate with the family and Olubadan-in-Council. He lived a life worthy of emulation and left unbeatable legacies among all traditional rulers in the country.”
Earlier, Adetunji told the governor: “Our Kabiyesi is gone and we are here to inform you about the demise of the Olubadan. His death came as a shock to us. He was a good father to us all. We have taken heart because it is God that gives and takes.”
Otun Olubadan, Chief Lekan Balogun, also noted that it was the state government which ought to formally announce the monarch’s death, adding that the council did not know who informed newsmen about the monarch’s demise.
The entourage of Adetunji included Otun Olubadan, Senator Lekan Balogun; Otun Balogun, Chief Owolabi Olakulehin; Ashipa Olubadan, Chief Eddy Oyewole; Ashipa Balogun, Chief Abimbola Ajibola; and Ekerin Olubadan, Chief Abiodun Kola-Daisi.
The list also comprised Oba Odulana’s eldest son, Prof Femi Lana; second son, Prince Gbade Lana, who was former commissioner for information in the state, a daughter of the monarch, Princess Yemi Showumi; as well as President, Central Council of Ibadan Indigene (CCII), Chief Wole Akinwande and former CCII President, Chief Bayo Oyero.
Ealier in the day, the Olubadan-in-Council, dismissed claims being laid to the throne of Olubadan of Ibadanland by the Head of Seriki Chieftaincy Line, Chief Adebayo Oyediji, as  a misplaced priority.
The council, which is the body of Ibadan kingmakers, threw its weight behind Adetunji, as the authentic Olubadan-designate.
Members of the council met for about one hour yesterday at the Olubadan palace.
Addressing newsmen after the meeting, Ajibola, said ‘it is undisputed’ that Adetunji is the authentic Olubadan-in-waiting, and added: “Any other one is a counterfeit. In this institution, we have lines. There are only two lines recognised so far, both by law and otherwise. They are the Otun Olubadan Line and the Balogun Line. There is no third line.”
Ajibola declared that it is the responsibility of the kingmakers to choose and present the next Olubadan to the appropriate quarters, adding that no chief could appoint himself to the throne.
He reiterated that Adetunji is the chief who will receive the signatures of the kingmakers to succeed the late Oba Odulana and not Oyediji.
Commenting on the court judgments said to have been obtained by the Seriki Line against the Olubadan and Olubadan-in-Council, he said no judgment could overrule the 1959 Declaration Law, which states that Seriki should be promoted to the position of Ekerin Balogun if two deaths occurred in one line. No judgment, he said, could overrule the declaration.
His words: “Nobody is competent to say he can be Olubadan. He cannot appoint himself. He cannot put himself there. We are not aware of any judgment that he is claiming because there is no Seriki or whatever. The 1959 Declaration Law says: ‘Seriki, if there are two vacancies in one line, should come there. No other judgment can overrule the law; that is the law.”
Ajibola explained that if such vacancies exist, the Seriki of Ibadanland is the competent chief to be promoted to Ekerin Balogun, adding that the last Seriki was Chief Meredith Adisa Akinloye, who was a former national chairman of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN). He died in 2007 at the age of 91. Since then, Ajibola said no other Seriki has been installed.
“They have no Seriki now. The only Seriki we knew then was Akinloye and since he died long time ago, there was no execution and there was no awareness. How can they say they want to be Olubadan? Who is going to sign for them?”
Ajibola expressed optimism that Ajimobi will “not even listen to them (Seriki Line),” and also averred that “whoever we present to be Olubadan as kingmakers, the governor is going to follow. Are they going to sign for themselves? They are not part of our meeting. We have never had any meeting with them. They have not been promoted…”