President Muhammadu Buhari has indicated interest to attend the funeral of the late Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana, Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimola, has said.
The governor addressed State House correspondents yesterday after a meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
He said the alleged claim by the Otun Seriki of Ibadan, Chief Adebayo Oyediji, to be the next Olubadan of Ibadanland was an exercise in futility.
Ajimobi said: “My mission here basically is to see Mr. President and intimate him of the recent transition of the Olubadan, who passed away a couple of days ago.
“We had to wait for the traditional message from the palace before we could convey this to the President. I am glad that I have been able to convey it. You may even ask why convey such to the President, at least he was just an Olubadan?
“If you must know, the Olubadan was not an ordinary king. Apart from the fact that he worked for the Federal Government, he was once a Minister of Labour under the late Prime Minister, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa’s government. He worked as a parliamentarian and a minister.
“He was part of the delegation to Britain for the Nigerian Conference. Therefore, he was a national figure, hence he was honoured with a Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR). He contributed immensely to the development of Nigeria. So, he stood out as a king.
“I am glad to say that having seen the President, he assured me that he would attend the burial ceremony.”
On the uniqueness of the Olubadan, the governor said: “It is the only institution where we know the next 20 or 50 obas (monarchs). We don’t fight for it. Every house can produce an Olubadan, including my house.
“So, it is not limited, like in some areas where you say this is the only family or these are the families. Every son of Ibadanland can become the Olubadan of Ibadanland.
“Therefore, we feel it is a rancour-free succession programme where everybody is qualified to be there. We know the next to the next; in fact, we know the next 100th Olubadan.”
According to him, the Seriki House started during the period of Chief Adisa Akinloye and it was decided long ago that it should to be after the Seriki line, one has to join it.