Ibadan kingmakers may meet to ratify Olakulehin as next Olubadan tomorrow

BARRING unforeseen circumstances, kingmakers in Ibadanland will meet tomorrow to ratify the Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, as the next Olubadan of Ibadanland.

The statutory kingmakers and members of the Olubadan-in-Council expected at the meeting are the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja; the Osi Olubadan, Oba Eddy Oyewole; the Ashipa Olubadan, Oba Abiodun Kola-Daisi; the Ekerin Olubadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade; the Ekarun Olubadan, Oba Adebayo Akande; the Otun Balogun, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola; the Osi Balogun, Oba Lateef Adebimpe; the Ashipa Balogun, Oba Kola Adegbola; Ekerin Balogun, Oba Dada Isioye and the Ekarun Balogun, Oba Abiodun Azeez.

The meeting, slated for the Mapo Hall, will have in attendance all the kingmakers, alongside the Olubadan-designate, Oba Olakulehin.

Olakulehin, it was gathered, is expected to be at the meeting where his nomination will be ratified by the kingmakers before his name would be forwarded to the Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, for approval.

Upon approval by the state government, a date for coronation will be fixed for the new monarch to begin his reign.

There have been controversies over the state of health of the Olubadan-designate as his whereabouts since the death of the immediate past Olubadan, Oba Lekan Balogun, remain unknown.

A family source who preferred anonymity told the Nigerian Tribune that “Oba Olakulehin is in good state of health and in good frame of mind. He has not been physically attending to anyone since the death of Oba Balogun to allow the funeral rites to pass.

“By God’s grace, Baba (Oba Olakulehin) will be in Mapo on Tuesday [tomorrow] for a meeting with the kingmakers where his nomination will be ratified and his name forwarded for approval to Governor Makinde.

“There is no cause for alarm over Baba’s health. He is hale and hearty.”

It will be recalled that the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Senator Ladoja, had, at a meeting held at the Alalubosa residence of Oba Olakulehin on Friday, March 15, affirmed that the succession to the Olubadan throne is without any controversy, asserting that “we already have the Olubadan-designate.”

He also said the kingmakers will only have to approve the nomination, having already known who the next Olubadan of Ibadanland is.

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