A chapter closed in Ibadan, capital of Oyo State and political headquarter of Southwest, yesterday.
On one hand, the ancient town is bereaved. Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who ascended the throne barely a year ago joined his ancestors. He was 90.
Fulfilment of ambition:
But the town is also in a joyous mood. Sympathisers moved from the palace to the residence of the Otun Olubadan, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, who automatically and instantly became the Olubadan.
It is his life ambition. Senator Ladoja, engineer, prominent politician and former governor of Oyo State, had openly declared that being Olubadan was critical to the achievement of self-actualisation.
In fact, the late, Oba Saliu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunnuso 1, also prayed for him publicly, saying that “you will one day sit on this throne.”
The city would be aglow with festivities during his coronation.
Rise of Ibadan as military power:
The origin of Ibadanland is not debatable. It is known. It is not a subject of dispute among scholars of history.
Ibadan was the camp of gallant men of yore, who defended Yorubaland against foreign invaders, particularly the Fulanis. But these soldiers were also the troublers of the race. They were overbearing because they turned many towns in Ijesa, Ife and Ekiti into tributaries.
Fundamentally, Ibadan soldiers were assembled to fight war on behalf of the Alaafin of Oyo in the old Oyo Empire. Over time, the camp metamorphosed into a town; highly organised, meticulously administered, feared and respected by the entire Yoruba. The fear is underscored by the fact that the Ijebu and Egba even gave Ibadan gaps in terms of land distance.
Those who formed Ibadan came from Oyo towns and villages. Even, Ladoja traced his ancestry to Iseyin.Ven. Emmanuel Alayande traced his background to Oyo and the late Oba Lekan Balogun’s family came from to Iwo.
Others from the nooks and crannies of the race joined them. For example, Kuku of Ijebu-Ode once lived and prospered in Ibadan. Also, Adebisi Idikan, a wealthy trader and high chief, and Alhaji Arisekola Alao traced their roots to Efon-Alaaye in Ekiti State.
The occupation of the early settlers was war, although they also practiced other trades, including farming, animal husbandry, weaving, and slave trading. If Ogedengbe of Ilesa and Fabunmi of Okemesi had stayed in Ibadan after their military training, they would have made it to the top of the chieftaincy hierachy.
Hierachical promotions:
Forty three monarchs have directed the affairs of Ibadanland since the ancient town was founded by warriors from across Yorubaland
They ruled or reigned either as Balogun, Basorun, Aare Ona Kankanfo, Baale or Olubadan.
Oyesile Olugbode and Ibikunle presided over Ibadan as Balogun. Oluyole and Ogunmola ruled the town as Basorun. Latosa Asubiaro led as Aare Ona Kankanfo.
A true Ibadan indigene would trace his roots to the family compound. This is not enough. Each family also has a farmland outside the town. Thus, the pride of Ibadan is that there is a town called home, and there is a farmland.
The stool of Olubadan is not hereditary. It can never be appropriated by any family. Only the Mogaji is hereditary. So prominent was the Mogaji status that a Timi of Ede even aspired to become one, tracing his root to a clan in Ibadan.
For any mogaji to become Olubadan, he must be a long distance runner; full of patience, endurance and hope. He must also be a man of the community, a man of integrity and honour. Not all the prominent high chiefs were lucky. Thus, it was painful to their generations that warriors Ajayi Ogboriefon, Akintola, and Babalola; and Idikan, Salami Agbaje, Ayorinde and Omowaye Kuye could not make it to the throne.
There are two routes to the top: the Egbe Agba (civil line) and Egbe Balogun (military line).
In the pre-colonial days, only men of valour could be on the succession line. Cowards in battles were isolated, shamed, demoted or banished. There are 22 promotions in the civil line and 23 in the military line.
The legacy of Ibadan is orderly ‘royal’ succession without acrimony, strife and rancour.
The crown of Olubadan was not from Ile-Ife, the cradle of Yoruba race. In those days, approval for succession came from Alaafin of Oyo, if the new head wanted to assume control as Basorun or Aare Ona Kankanfo. But, while the succession pattern was orderly, titles could also be obtained by a special appeal to Alaafin or by force. Oluyole, a grandson of Alaafin Abiodun, assumed the headship of Ibadan as Basorun. To him, the title of baale meant cowardice. Baales never fought wars. They merely reigned in peace times.
The legendary Ogunmola also took the title of Basorun, usurping His Supernal Highness Gbenla, the holder of the title. He asked for the insignia of the office. There was tension between Ogunmola and Gbenla. The Alaafin of the time resolved the crisis by allowing two Basoruns to co-exist; one in Oyo and another provincial one in Ibadan. Concious of the fact that the bruised ego, the Alaafin also pleaded with the authentic Basorun not to take his life.
Also, Latosa Asubiaro became head of Ibadan as Aare.As Rev. Samuel Johnson put it in his book: ‘The history of Yorubas,’ “Latosisa usurped the title of Kankanfo by might over right, by displacing Ojo Aburumaku, the Kankanfo at Ogbomoso as Ogunmola attempted to do in the case of Gbenla, the aged Basorun of Oyo.”
So powerful and influential were the heads of Ibadan that they influenced kingship succession in distant towns in the Yoruba country. Thus, Latosa was instrumental in the installation of Ayikiti as Owoni of Ife. Princes from other towns lobbied Ibadan chiefs to have bright prospects in their bids for the thrones of their forefathers.
Ibadan and beaded crown:
The turning point was 1930. Oba Abbas Alesinloye became the first head to acquire the title of Olubadan. The high chief, Salami Agbaje, wealthy trader and a member of the Nigerian Legislative Council, who represented Oyo Province, began the agitation for the elevation of the stool. He persuaded Alaafin to give his consent. It was very important because the Alaafin retained traditional control over Ibadan up to 1930s. So powerful was Alaafin Ladigbolu that he even deposed Baale Shitu, son of Aare Latosa. Agbaje also tried to influence the colonial masters by directing attention to the socio-economic development of the town.
However, the first educated Olubadan was Oba Isaac Babalola Akinyele, founder of Ibadan Grammar School and president of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC). Although he initially decline, citing the fetish traditions. But the elite, led by Alayande who were rooting for an educated oba mounted pressure on him to rescind his decision. The lawyer, Ayo Rosiji, drove Oba Akinyele to the Oja Oba where he was unveiled as monarch.
Many olubadans were also politicians, who have served at the local government, state and national levels. Oba Emmanuel Adeyemo was a Commissioner during the emergency period in the Western Region. Oba Akinbiyi was a regional legislator. Oba Samuel Odulana was a House of Representatives member and parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. Oba Olakulehin was a local government chairman and one-time member of the House of Representatives.
A very charismatic Olubadan was Oba Yesufu Oloyede Asanike. Few gave him a chance, but he reigned for 11 years, one of the longest reigning Ibadan monarchs in modern times, next to Alesinloye who reigned for 16 years.
Oba Adetunji was a socialite; a very hardworking music promoter. He jealously protected his throne, rejecting the proposal by former Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi to elevate many high chiefs to the status of obas. He said their crowns were carton crowns, which had no basis in history. The crisis was resolved by Governor Seyi Makinde.
A disciplarian, Oba Adetunji deposed an oba in Iddo area for insubordination. One of his unfulfilled dreams was the futile agitation for the creation of Ibadan State.
Oba Adetunji was succeeded by Oba Lekan Balogun, a former university teacher who later served as senator. In the Second Republic, he was the governorship candidate on the platform of the defunct Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP). He was succeeded by Oba Olakulehin.
Ladoja, who had earlier supported Oba Adetunji on the crown issue, refused elevation to obaship. But he later recapitulated after it became a condition for ascending the throne.
He is now fulfilling his destiny as Olubadan.
Lagelu was the first head of Ibadan. There were other rulers after him not captured by historians.
