Out of the Eleven Olubadan-in Council members, Ten of them on Wednesday have endorsed the nomination of the Otun Olubadan, High Chief Lekan Balogun as the next heir to the throne of Olubadan, as the Osi Olubadan, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja was absent.
Lekan Balogun’s endorsement followed the ratification by members of the Olubadan-in –Council, during a press conference held at the ancient Mapo Hall, Ibadan.
Disclosing the development at the conference that was boycotted by the Osi Olubadan High Chief Rashidi Ladoja, Iyalode of Ibadanland, Chief Mrs. Theresa Oyekanmi, the Osi Balogun of Ibadan, High Chief Tajudeen Ajibola debunked the insinuation in some quarters that there is a legal tussle on the succession to the throne of Olubadan throne.
He also dispelled the rumour relating to the health and willingness of the new Olubadan designate, saying all the negative media reports are nothing to write home about.
‘’It is the tradition that we need to follow to the Letter’’-says Ajibola as Lekan Salami emerges as the new Olubadan.
He said, there was no iota of truth in the rumour milling around about who will become the next Olubadan of Ibadanland, adding that:’’ We have endorsed the Otun Olubadan, High Chief Lekan Balogun as the next Olubadan of Ibadanland’’.
‘’This is the decision that was taken by ten out of eleven Olubadan-in-Council and there is no going back on it, it is the tradition that we need to follow to the letter,’’ Ajibola said.
Also, in his contribution, the Ekarun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Amidu Ajibade, maintained that the Olubadan stool cannot be politicized, stressing that the case in court has nothing to do with who becomes the next Olubadan.
Amidu said:’’ Those people and others were promoted during the reign of late Olubadan with their crowns and there was no problem, so there should not be a problem now when the next person to late Olubadan needs to be supported to emerge as Olubadan.’’ Those people were duly promoted, he said.