Crisis brews over Olubadan’s successor

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Olufemi Atoyebi, Ibadan
The head of Seriki family in Ibadan, Chief Adebayo Oyediji, has claimed that he is the next Olubadan of Ibadan after the demise of Oba Samuel Odulana.
The present Balogun of Ibadan land, High Chief Saliu Adetunji, is expected to occupy the throne but Oyediji, 89, alleged that the Olubadan-in-Council disregarded the rule of law in the succession process.
Speaking in Ibadan on Wednesday, Oyediji said, “I am the next to be installed Olubadan and not Adetunji.”
Justifying his claim, Oyediji said a motion filed on behalf of the Seriki family by his lawyer, A.G. Adeniran, before the Oyo State Chief Judge, Justice Mukthar Abimbola, stated that the Seriki obtained a Supreme Court judgment which favoured their admittance into the Olubadan ruling line. He said since 1989 when the judgment was obtained, the Olubadan -in-Council had refused to respect it.
He said the last Otun Seriki, Chief Adisa Akinloye was denied the opportunity to become Olubadan before he died in 2007, claiming that Seriki family was the third line in the Olubadan succession system.
“The problem with the Seriki line started with the making of the 1959 Ekerin Balogun of Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration which put ‎Seriki under the Ekerin Balogun of Ibadan and provided for the first time that Seriki can only be promoted to Ekerin Balogun only if the Ashipa and Ekerin Balogun titles become vacant at the same time.”
Oyediji said the motion was also seeking the order of the court, setting aside the appointments made by the late Olubadan to fill vacancies existing in the chieftaincy titles of Ekerin Olubadan, Ashipa Olubadan, Osi Olubadan, Otun Olubadan and Balogun Olubadan of Ibadan since the November 21, 2008 up till the last appointment he made on January 1, 2016. According to him, one of the Seriki’s motions would be heard on ‎January 28, 2016.