Ibadan agog as Balogun receives staff of office as Olubadan today

HISTORY will be made today in the ancient city of Ibadan with the presentation of staff of office to Senator Moshood Olalekan Balogun as the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland. 

The coronation ceremony which started on Monday with traditional rites will be rounded off at the ancient Mapo Town Hall in Ibadan South-East Local Government Area, where the state governor, Seyi Makinde, will be presenting the staff of office to the new Olubadan. 

Residents from the 11 local government areas that make up the metropolis have been mobilised to attend the historic event. 

Also, various market leaders in Ibadan have ordered the closure of all the markets in local and urban areas of the city in honour of the new Olubadan. 

Aside from the closure of the various markets, market men and women and representatives, of traditional organisations including Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), the Agbekoyas and vigilante groups, will be appearing in different attires to add glamour to the event. 

Traditional drummers have shifted base to the Aliwo Family House of the new Olubadan where visitors are being treated to various Yoruba songs. 

Senator Balogun will be leaving Ipebi for Mapo Hall before returning to his Aliwo Family House. In order to forestall breakdown of law and order, security has been beefed up around Mapo Hall, Aliwo and Alarere residence of the Olubadan, and other areas within the metropolis. 

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Nigerian Tribune gathered that all the security operatives including police, the local vigilante and host of others, have been mandated to ensure the protection of lives and property during and after the ceremony. For effective monitoring, the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA) has restricted the operation of motorists with the closure of some routes. 

The affected routes and alternatives routes as made available by OYTRMA include Beere junction and Oranyan route, Beere-Oke Dada Route and Agbeni- Ogunpa route; alternative route to barricade at Born-Photos are Gege route inward Oke-Ado and Idi-Arere Route inward Molete. 

An alternative route to the Idi-Arere blockade are the Agbongbon-Kobomoje-Eleta-Oranyan routes; and alternative routes to the Itamerin barricade are the Beere-Oje route, Agbeni-Ogunpa route. 

OYRTMA implored motorists and other road users along the affected routes to adhere strictly to the provisions and cooperate with its men and officers to ensure a rancour-free installation ceremony. 

Meanwhile, the governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, on Wednesday evening presented a Toyota Landcruiser SUV to the Olubadan-designate ahead of his coronation. 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Emmanuel Alawode, chairman of Ibadan South-East Local Government presented the car key to the Olubadan-designate at his residence at Alarere area of Ibadan, on behalf of the governor. 

The younger brother of the new Oba, Senator Kola Balogun received the car on behalf of the Olubadan-designate. 

Businessman and politician, Dr Olusola Ayandele, has predicted that Ibadan would attain greater heights during the reign of Oba Moshood Olalekan Balogun-Ali-Iwo (Ali Okunmade II), who is being crowned today as the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland.

Ayandele in a message, described Oba Balogun as a courageous, experienced and resourceful man whose emergence as the paramount ruler of Ibadanland indicated that the Oyo State capital was destined to sustain its rating as one of the greatest cities in Africa and indeed the world. 

He said, “The new Olubadan of Ibadanland has proven his mettle as an enigma before stamping his foot on the ladder of obaship about 40 years ago.

“He always used his Godgiven attributes to realise set goals as he traversed the field of academics, politics, business and public administration with many success stories to his credit. 

“With a paramount ruler who can boast of the right quantum of exposure, experience and zeal, Ibadan is here for peace, prosperity and accelerated development. 

“The bond which an average Yoruba person shares with Ibadan makes it imperative for us to identify with the Land of Warriors on this great occasion and we join the multitude of friends and well-wishers of the city to wish our new monarch a long, peaceful and eventful reign. 

“While we are using this opportunity to appreciate all members of the Olubadan-in-Council, the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) as well as other eminent individuals and groups who facilitated the timely resolution of the controversies which almost marred the confirmation process of the successor to the late Oba Saliu Adetunji, we urge Governor Seyi Makinde to be magnanimous enough to approve the nomination of the candidate for the throne of the Eleruwa of Eruwa as made by the relevant stakeholders in the interest of justice and peace.”