I can’t stop Ladoja to become Olubadan —Ajimobi
Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, on Friday said he had no power to stop the Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland, Rashidi Ladoja, from becoming the Olubadan.
The governor said this after the Eid prayers at the Agodi Muslim praying ground in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Noticeably, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, was not at the ground after some Mogajis under the aegis of the Authentic Ibadan Mogajis told him on Thursday to avoid coming to the ground for security reasons. The monarch and some Mogajis observed the prayers at his palace in Popoyemoja.
The Olubadan and Ladoja are opposed to the Ibadan chieftaincy system review initiated by Ajimobi and the installation of 21 new kings in the city.
Ajimobi said the controversy that had followed the review would soon be over with more enlightenment campaigns. He also said that the Olubadan would remain his father despite his [Olubadan’s] opposition to the reform.
He said, “In the spirit of the celebration, I want to pray that God will continue to grant our prayers and give us more progress so that the state will not retrogress.
“I also use this opportunity to greet our father, the Olubadan of Ibadanland. He is my father and he will continue to be, he is a good father; it’s only that some politicians are hiding under him to cause rift and misunderstanding between us. God will elongate his reign.
“I also use this opportunity to greet my elder brother, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, who is saying it is because of him that we are reviewing the Olubadan chieftaincy laws so that he will not become the Olubadan. God will let him be an Olubadan if he is destined to be.
“Anybody hindering the progress of his fellow human being will also not make headway. We are not hindering his progress, but he must not politicise the matter of Ibadan. I want to plead with him not to use his inability to secure victory in elections to influence the issue of Olubadan chieftaincy laws.
“We also want to plead with our people to always listen carefully and eschew ignorance on the matter. We are aware that some people will not understand the matter quickly, but we will continue to enlighten our people on the subject matter.”
In his sermon before the slaughtering of rams at the prayer ground, the Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheik Agbotomokekere, preached forgiveness to the crowd, calling on Muslims to be strong when faced with the temptation to do evil.
A spokesperson for the Ibadan Mogajis, Chief Olawale Oladoja, who is the Mogaji of Akinsola compound in the Oopo Labiran area of Ibadan, said that the Olubadan was extremely happy to be among the huge crowd that joined him at the palace.
“There was a huge crowd after the media reported that the Olubadan would not be going to Agodi to pray. They were waiting for him at the mosque beside the palace. He was extremely happy. The Mogajis joined him as early as 6am and left after the prayers. The Chief Imam of Ibadan later came to pray for him,” he said.
www.sojworld.com (c) September 2, 2017.
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