Chief Rashidi Ladoja, the Otun Olubadan of Ibadan, has taken the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, and the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, to court over the recent elevation of 10 Ibadan High Chiefs to beaded crown-wearing Obas.
Ladoja joined the newly-elevated Obas as defendants in the suit filed before the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan.
Following Olubadan’s recommendation, Makinde authorised the elevation of the Ibadan High Chiefs to Obas on June 22.
It will also be remembered that the governor presented the new Obas with Staff of Office last Friday.
The new Obas are Owolabi Olakulehin; Tajudeen Ajibola; Eddy Oyewole; Lateef Adebimpe; Biodun Kola-Daisi; Kola Adegbola; Hamidu Ajibade; Olubunmi Isioye; Bayo Akande and Abiodun Azeez.
Ladoja, who is also an Ibadan high chief, had earlier rejected the elevation and was absent from the crowning ceremony.
The former Oyo governor explained that he was only interested in becoming Olubadan.
“I’m not interested in any other crown apart from that of Olubadan of Ibadanland. And everyone of us knows that it’s God that chooses Oba in Ibadan,” he said.
Ladoja had also had a running legal battle with Makinde’s predecessor, the late former governor Abiola Ajimobi, who had also elevated some chiefs and baales to Obas in 2017.
Ladoja won the court case, which dragged into Makinde’s first term.
Makinde, however, chose not to appeal the case, while the high chiefs dropped their crown, paving way for emergence of the present Olubadan.