Ibadan agog for 41st Olubadan Coronation, Mapo Hall arcade ignited ahead Friday!

By Prince Oladigbolu, Lashley
London

 •Monarch joins Facebook
 •The cheerful mood hanging around the ancient city of Ibadan can easily be felt as preparations for the coronation ceremony of the new monarch are by every length reaching a top gear.

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi will on Friday install and present staff of office to High Chief Saliu Adetunji as the 41st Olubadan.

pic:Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, designated-Olubadan of Ibadanland

The Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Dr. Lekan Balogun, disclosed this on Tuesday at a briefing by the Olubadan-in-council and top government officials, led by former Secretary to the State Government Mr. Ismael Olalekan Alli.

 ''The kingmakers are empowered by the extant 1957 Olubadan of Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration to propose as candidate, the most senior chief in the line whose turn it is to fill a vacancy in the stool of Olubadan'', said Dr Balogun.

High Chief Lekan Balogun said: “Having satisfied all the conditions precedent according to the 1957 Chieftaincy Declaration, High Chief Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, has been appointed the new Olubadan of Ibadanland.

“The Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief Adetunji, will be presented with the instruments and the staff of office on Friday at the traditional Mapo Hall Arcade, marking his official recognition, acceptance and endorsement as the 41st Olubadan of Ibadanland.

“The historic installation is scheduled to take place at 10am at the traditional Mapo Hall arcade in Ibadan.

“Governors, traditional rulers, captains of industry are expected to grace the occasion. Over 200 indigenous clubs under the aegis of Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) are participating in the events.”

Going down memory lane, he said the incoming Oba from becoming a Mogaji in 1976 and Jagun Balogun in 1978 rose through the ranks, climbing 23 steps in the Balogun line, until 2015 when he became the Balogun of Ibadanland.

 Chief Lekan Balogun further stressed that “it is delightful to note that the incoming Olubadan is a doyen of the entertainment industry, having used his business acumen, organisation, exposure and experience to promote successful artistes. So these musicians and dignitaries from all walks of life will grace the occasion.

“Over 200 indigenous clubs under the aegis of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), all socio-cultural organisations are participating in the events, which will surely include all the traditional rites and steps typical of the installation.”
Earlier on, NUJ Europe gathered that Olubadan-designate has had a meeting with Oyo State governor Senator Abiola Ajimobi in Agodi government house. 

Oyo State Governor, Senator A.A. Ajimobi and Olubadan-designate, government house, Agodi Ibadan.

The Olubadan-in-council maintained that there is no legal impediment against the coronation.

At the palace at Popo-Yemoja, preparations were in top gear to ensure a befitting ceremony.

An Ibadan-born respectable legal practitioner, Barrister Ayoade Adekola asserted that Ibadan as a home for superstars in various genre of Yoruba music, the occassion should be a rallying point to wade into the issue of piracy inimical to all the stakeholders of the music industry in Nigeria.

Barrister Ayoade Adekola

Barrister Adekola avered that ''juju, highlife and other music artistes should use the opportunity of the coronation of the new Olubadan, Balogun Saliu Adetunji as an opportunity to showcase or sell their brand of music to the entire world. It is not an occassion for rivalry. Where you have successful Nigerian musicians like Baba Miliki Chief Ebenezer Obey, he was a great mentor to Late Sikiru Ayinde Barrister Balogun, you have KSA, you have Sir Victor Uwaifo, the joromi exponent.You have the twin brother of SAB, Alhaji Chief Kollington Ayinla.''

The Associate Attorney at CHAMBERS OF B.A.M. FASHANU, SAN, Barriter Ayoade further stated that ''I think our musicians deserve some respect having made a success of their careers. Almost all of you are superstars. Where you find all these respectable elders one expect high levels of decorum. This is a rallying point to fight piracy, the cancer that is killing the music industry.''

NUJ Europe authoritatively gathered that juju meastro, Ebenezer  Fabiyi Obey Commander, Sunday Adegeye Sunny-Ade and a host of fuji musicians, including Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, Rasheed Ayinde Adekunle Merenge, Saheed Osupa and host of others being penciled to perform in Ibadan for the coronation ceremony.

The interior of the historic Mapo Hall, which will play host to visitors during the installation ceremony, is also being given a new look.

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Tennis Courts on Liberty Stadium premises in Ibadan.

pic. credit: Barr. Ayoade Adekola

  In his social media account the  proudly Ibadan legal practitioner Barrister Ayoade Adekola   further stated that: ''If arrangements can be made for traffic to be diverted and venues to be decentralised to areas like Adamasingba, Agodi, Liberty stadium, Queen Elizabeth road, the University of Ibadan in fact, guests will be able to enjoy the hospitality of Ibadan. Ibadan is the home of indigenous music called"fuji" music in Nigeria.''

Ealier on, unverified social media account on Facebook has been created for the Monarch-in-waiting  with the tittle Oba Saliu Adetunji (Olubadan of Ibadan). It was believed to have been growing in numbers of friends and followers since January 17 it was set up, attracted over 1000 friends within a month.

The social media handle gives the profile of the Olubadan-designate as having "attended IMG Grammar School in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, before proceeding to the Music Conservatory of Chicago College of Performing Arts, United States, which he attended between 1974 and 1976. He studied Marketing Strategies."

Adetunji, who markets the music albums of the Fuji legend, K1 de Ultimate Wasiu Ayinde, is the owner of three leading music marketing companies known as Omo Aje Sound Studio, Adetunji Label and Baba Laje Records.

 

The 80-year-old emerged Mogaji (the head of the family) in 1976, and he became the Jagun Balogun (the first line on the Balogun rung) in 1978..Although for the first time, there are aspersions on the unique rancour-free Olubadan succession plan over the ages, it is now clear that irrespective of stiff resistance and litigation by another claimant to the Olubadan chieftaincy stool, Chief Adebayo Oyediji, the most populous city, Ibadan will today, March 4, witness an historic event as it hosts eminent men and women from all walks of life for the formal installation of High Chief Saliu Adetunji as the 41st Olubadan of Ibadanland. Before this uproar which erupted after the death of Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade 1 on January 19, 2016 , the chieftaincy and ascendancy to the highest traditional throne in the city was presumed to be hitch-free. Though, there is an on-going litigation against the installation of High Chief Adetunji, the Olubadan-in-Council which comprises nine senior chiefs, is unperturbed  as it insists that it recognises only two royal lines to the Olubadan stool. They are Olubadan which is also known as the Civil Line and Balogun which is the military line. The council was further strengthened by the refusal of the  State High Court to grant a restraining injunction that Mr. A. G Adeniran, counsel to Seriki chiefs prayed the court to grant. The prayer was for the court to stop the installation of Olubadan today. But Justice Mukhtar Abimbola  refused to issue the injunction, saying that if the monarch is installed illegally, the court reserves the right to remove him thereafter. Chief Oyediji who insists that his right is being infringed upon spoke at length on how he felt he was cheated. But, he was unable to present any written document to back up his claim that the current arrangement is flawed. He claimed that the Olubadan in council,  allegedly failed thrice at the Supreme Court to get the judgment in their favour.

While speaking with newsmen in an emotion laden voice, the old man almost burst into tears when he was trying to give a vivid picture of how a gentlemanly agreement was reached between him and the then Oba Asanike who reigned before the last Olubadan.

He said,  “I started my chieftaincy journey since 1976. They are saying they are wiser but they cannot cheat us. If anybody wants to cheat me, God will avenge for me. All the chiefs get their monthly salaries through the same law they have failed to obey. Isn’t that funny?”


Alleging disregard to the rule of law, which is an indispensable tool in a sane society, said, Chief Adetunji who is the 8th defendant bound by the third and fourth legs of the orders of injunction with absolute disregard for the said orders of the court has presented himself to the purported kingmakers of the Olubadan of Ibadan chieftaincy and the Governor of Oyo State for appointment as the Olubadan of Ibadan over which he said the appointment has been fixed for today. Determined to pursue the issue to a logical conclusion, he brandished  a copy of the suit entitled, ‘notice of consequences of disobedience to order of court’ and dated February 23, 2016, which he filed against the Olubadan designate.

 He said; “Some people think they are above the law and I have the belief that the country is being governed by law . It gives me a lot of concern that some wealthy and famous people have no regard for law. This is very bad. I got a judgment in 1989 during the reign of Oba Asanike and we both signed that Seriki should join the royal line on both sides (Balogun and Olubadan). When they begged us, Muibi Akanbi, Alimi Alaadorin, Oyeranmi and myself were there. 21 of us were in Seriki line then. In 2007, they went to the Supreme Court three times and they failed.” But responding to his comment on the committal proceeding he filed at the court, the Olubadan-in-Council dismissed his claims saying the Olubadan-designate  never flouted any court order, therefore there is no committal proceeding as alleged by the Seriki Chiefs.

 The council said; “The only person recognised by the law is Seriki. We have no Seriki to be a member of the council. Law does not recognise any other line except the two existing lines. So, it does not matter if anybody got a judgment 10 or 13 years. No law recognises the Seriki line. As far as we are concerned, there is no committal proceeding against the Olubadan of Ibadan”.

The spokesperson for the council, High Lekan Balogun who heads the coronation committee said, “It is pertinent to stress the unrivalled uniqueness of the succession system and ascension lines to the Olubadan stool which recognises two main succession lines-Otun Olubadan and Balogun with all the logical and sequential steps. “It is also statutory and common knowledge that contenders to this royal stool invariably are rooted essentially in the two approved lines with each line having 22 and 23 steps respectively on its ladder in a promotional system that cannot be circumvented. The two lines are marked with genealogical significance.

“Since the ascension is strictly rotational between the two major chieftaincy lines according to the 1957 chieftaincy declaration, the next, that is, the 41st Olubadan of Ibadanland must ascend the royal stool from the Balogun Line. Having satisfied all the conditions  precedent, the Olubadan-in-Council has appointed the Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief Saliu Akanmu Olasupo Adetunji as the new and the 41st Olubadan of Ibadan.”

Members of the coronation committee include High Chiefs Lekan Balogun,  Femi Olaifa, Tajudeen Ajibola and Abiodun Kola Daisi. Others are Chief Mrs Yewande Durosaro, representative  of Iyalode of Ibadan, Alhaji Olalekan Alli, Secretary to the State Government, Permanent Secretary, Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mrs. H.O Ogunesan, President General, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, Chief Wole Akinwande, Chief Bayo Oyero, former President, CCII, Mr Yomi Layinka and the representative of Olubadan designate, Alhaji Ambali Adetunji.

Chief Balogun doused tension when he said "regardless of the litigation against the council, Seriki chiefs and members of the council still remain  like siamese twins that cannot be easily separated. It appears that if the Seriki chiefs lose this legal  battle, the line may as well bid farewell to the stool because due to the length of time the legal tussle has lasted, they are seriously depleted.

"Besides, others have left the line and joined the two recognised lines. Another snag is that it is the Olubadan in council that will approve the promotion  of a chief in Seriki line to Seriki who can then join both lines and it is the same Council that doesn’t want a third line other than the two lines. How reasonable will it be to feed and leave a rattle snake on the roof top while one goes to sleep? ", Balogun said.

Aerial view of Ibadan City

Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area, by population, in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano, with a population of over 3 million, and the largest metropolitan geographical area. According to Wikipedia, the city area covers 3,080 km². For visitors getting to Ibadan by flights the current weather is 33°C, Wind SW at 5 mph (8 km/h), 57% Humidity and check local time before you land at the Ibadan airport. Ibadan has many colleges and universities.


By Prince Oladigbolu, Lashley
Ola Ajayi contributed to this report.