Ibadan turned into a political battleground in royal robes as the brand-new Olubadan, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, used his coronation to fire a daring demand at President Bola Tinubu: Create Ibadan State before 2027, or face the anger of the people!
Standing tall after receiving the Staff of Office from Governor Seyi Makinde, the monarch declared in Yoruba, “My people sent me a message to Mr President. Mr President, they said the creation of Ibadan State is their priority.”
The coronation at Mapo Hall wasn’t just a cultural spectacle; it was a show of political might.
Heavyweights flooded the city: the Sultan of Sokoto, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Kayode Fayemi, Donald Duke, and a host of lawmakers.
Makinde, beaming with pride, praised the new king, saying, “It is a great honour to join in celebrating the coronation and presentation of the Staff of Office to His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adewolu Ladoja, as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland… The succession process to the throne of Olubadan is now well established and free from contestation, and this is a source of pride for us all.”
The ancient rites, performed earlier at Oja’ba with Akoko leaves, sealed the monarch’s crown — but it was his fiery demand that electrified the day.
With senators, power brokers, and loyalists standing firmly behind him, the Olubadan’s call now hangs over Aso Rock like a royal decree.
Will Tinubu answer Ibadan’s cry, or ignore a city ready to rise?
