THE Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, yesterday, dismissed insinuations making the rounds on social media that he deliberately snubbed the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, during a recent public function in Ibadan, Oyo State, insisting that the incident was neither intentional nor disrespectful.
In a chat with newsmen in Ibadan, Oba Ladoja described the incident as a misunderstanding that had been blown out of proportion, stressing that his actions were guided by circumstance rather than any form of royal discourtesy.
The Olubadan said: “There was no intention whatsoever. What happened was not deliberate. It has been misinterpreted, especially on social media.
“When I go late to a place, I try to bring good news. At the mosque, when prayers are ongoing, you wait until they form a line and then you join appropriately. I was simply trying to take my seat before anyone would say I could not move again.
“My seat was sandwiched between Soun and Alaafin. I had to pass through some people to get there. I didn’t make any decision to avoid or ignore anyone. Why should I?
“If you watch the full video, you will see me greeting people, including the governor. But social media has a way of taking things out of context.”
On whether he had reached out to address any perceived grievances arising from the incident, the Olubadan said: “I don’t think anyone was being offensive, and I don’t see the issue as an insult to anybody,” he said.
The Olubadan, who restated his broader vision of unity and development, said: “My goal is to unite the present generation and those coming after us. We must raise standards, especially in education, and focus on what truly brings progress to our society.”
