The kingmakers statutorily empowered to take the decision will be meeting on Tuesday to pick the next Olubadan. This comes on the heels of reports within the week that some members of the Olubadan-in-Council converged on Mapo Hall and selected the Otun Olubadan, Chief Lekan Balogun, as the next Olubadan, being the most senior in the Civil Line that lawfully has the right to fill the vacancy.
But a circular of Ibadan kingmakers’ meeting, a copy of which was seen by Saturday Tribune on Friday, showed that a meeting of the kingmakers has been summoned for the Olubadan palace at Oja’ba, Ibadan, for 11.00 a.m. on Tuesday next week.
The circular with reference number OAC/1/260/72 and dated January 6, 2022, was signed by the secretary to the Olubadan Advisory Council, K. Liasu.
Addressed to all members, the letter entitled ‘Invitation to a Meeting of Ibadan Kingmakers’, reads: “I have been directed to invite you to a meeting of the Ibadan Kingmakers scheduled to hold as follows: Venue: Olubadan Palace, Oja’ba, Ibadan. Date: Tuesday, 11th January 2022. Time: 11:00 a.m. prompt.
Please attend personally and be punctual. Thanks.” The sole business of the meeting, according to the letter, is “filling of the vacant stool of the Olubadan of Ibadanland.”
According to the Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration of 1957, which is the law guiding the selection of a new Olubadan, there are 11 kingmakers.
They are Otun Olubadan, Osi Olubadan, Ashipa Olubadan, Ekerin Olubadan, Balogun, Otun Balogun, Osi Balogun, Ashipa Balogun, Ekerin Balolgun, Iyalode and Seriki.
Currently, the position of the Seriki of Ibadanland is vacant while the Iyalode may not be unavailable because she is outside the state.
Kingmakers are required by law to forward the name of the next Olubadan to the state government within 14 days from the death of the Olubadan.
The deadline expires on January 16, 2022. Oba Saliu Adetunji, the 41st Olubadan, died on Sunday, January 2, 2022, at the age of 93, after reigning only for five years.