Crisis brews over Olubadan’s successor

The head of Seriki family in Ibadan,
Chief Adebayo Oyediji, has claimed that
he is the next Olubadan of Ibadan after
the demise of Oba Samuel Odulana.
The present Balogun of Ibadan land,
High Chief Saliu Adetunji, is expected to
occupy the throne but Oyediji, 89,
alleged that the Olubadan-in-Council
disregarded the rule of law in the
succession process.
Speaking in Ibadan on Wednesday,
Oyediji said, “I am the next to be
installed Olubadan and not Adetunji.”
Justifying his claim, Oyediji said a
motion filed on behalf of the Seriki
family by his lawyer, A.G. Adeniran,
before the Oyo State Chief Judge, Justice
Mukthar Abimbola, stated that the
Seriki obtained a Supreme Court
judgment which favoured their
admittance into the Olubadan ruling
line. He said since 1989 when the
judgment was obtained, the Olubadan -
in-Council had refused to respect it.
He said the last Otun Seriki, Chief Adisa
Akinloye was denied the opportunity to
become Olubadan before he died in
2007, claiming that Seriki family was
the third line in the Olubadan
succession system.
“The problem with the Seriki line
started with the making of the 1959
Ekerin Balogun of Ibadan Chieftaincy
Declaration which put Seriki under the
Ekerin Balogun of Ibadan and provided
for the first time that Seriki can only be
promoted to Ekerin Balogun only if the
Ashipa and Ekerin Balogun titles
become vacant at the same time.”
Oyediji said the motion was also
seeking the order of the court, setting
aside the appointments made by the
late Olubadan to fill vacancies existing
in the chieftaincy titles of Ekerin
Olubadan, Ashipa Olubadan, Osi
Olubadan, Otun Olubadan and Balogun
Olubadan of Ibadan since the November
21, 2008 up till the last appointment he
made on January 1, 2016. According to
him, one of the Seriki’s motions would
be heard on January 28, 2016.