Crisis Brews Over Olubadan’s Successor As Two Lay Claim To Throne

…Seriki lineage goes to court, to stop Adetunji

…Why Olubadan’s burial, new ruler’s installation may be delayed
AMID tributes yesterday for the Olubadan, Oba Odulana Odugade, who died on Tuesday, there were indications that he may not be buried immediately. The installation of his successor will also be delayed.

Former President of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, Chief Bayo Oyero, told The Guardian at the residence of Alhaji Adetunji, where he had gone to pay homage to the Olubadan-designate: “Our late Olubadan was a devout Christian, who had extensive contacts and connections in and out of the country and all these interests would have to be consulted before his burial rites.”

The highly revered Ibadan high chief also offered an explanation as to why the installation of a new occupier of the Olubadan stool would be delayed.

Oyero said that the residence of the Olubadan-designate, Adetunji, was not befitting of the occupier of a royal stool like an Olubadan and indigenes of the town were in the process of constructing a new palace.

According to him, until the new palace is completed or in the
alternative, the current abode of Adetunji is re-furbished and raised to an acceptable standard, the installation cannot hold.

“The residence of the Olubadan-designate is not befitting of an Olubadan. The new palace we are building is still uncompleted. We have two options: we can wait for the completion of the ongoing palace project, which we can speed up or re-furbish the residence of the incoming monarch to the standard that will be acceptable to us for our Olubadan.”

However, the Serikii line in the Ibadan traditional council has gone to court demanding that it is its turn to produce the Olubadan even as there are indications that the burial rites of the late monarch and the installation of the new one would be delayed due to certain situations that have cropped up.

Head of Seriki line, Chief Adebayo Oyediji, who spoke with reporters on the development said based on the 1989 Supreme Court judgement, he should be the next to be installed Olubadan.

Oyediji said he had filed a motion before the chief judge, Justice Muktah Abimbola, through his counsel, A. G Adeniran , seeking an order of the court that it is the turn of the Seriki line to produce the next Olubadan.

He said the Olubadan -in-Council had since 1989 when the Seriki line obtained a Supreme Court judgment in their favour, denied them the opportunity of being admitted into the Olubadan line.
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While accusing the Olubadan-in-Council of marginalisation, Oyediji said since the last Otun Seriki, Chief Adisa Meredith Akinloye was denied the opportunity before he died in 2007, the Seriki line was yet to be included as third line to the appointment of Olubadan.