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From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Olubadan Advisory Council’s statutory meeting was stalled, yesterday, in Ibadan, Oyo, due to ongoing court case instituted against the elevation of some members of the council by Otun Olubadan and former governor of the state, Rashidi Ladoja.
The council members refused to sit for a meeting with Ladoja, who sued them all in the pending court case. Ladoja had challenged the elevation in court in which Olubadan, all Ladoja’s colleagues that were elevated as Obas, the governor and the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General were all joined in the suit still pending in court.
Owolabi Olakulehin, Balogun of Ibadanland and the next in rank to the Olubadan seized the floor immediately after the opening prayer was offered by the palace Chaplain, Olusoji Adediji, and announced that all the high chiefs that became Obas had resolved not to hold any of the advisory council meetings that the Otun Olubadan would attend.
Personal Assistant to Olubadan (Media), Oladele Ogunsola, made it known that Olakulehin, said: “We have resolved not to sit with our friend and brother, Ladoja, the Otun Olubadan, pending the conclusion of his court case. Since he has taken us to court, we have all hired lawyers and waiting for the case to commence. What I’m saying here today is the decision of all us that got elevated and served with court papers instituted by the Otun Olubadan.
“It is a settled matter in Yoruba parlance that people don’t relate as friends after court matters (a kii ti kootu de se ore). Not until the court case is decided whichever way, we have resolved not to hold any meeting with Ladoja in attendance.”
Despite an appeal by Olubadan of Ibadanland, Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, others at the meeting supported the decision not to hold any meeting with Ladoja present.
Olubadan said there was already a rapprochement between him and the former governor, and that the meeting should go on as scheduled. But others took side with Olakulehin as Ekerin Olubadan, Hamidu Ajibade disclosed that all the other members of the council were meeting at the Balogun’s house. He hammered it that Olakulehin was speaking for all of them.
Ladoja, in his brief remarks, maintained that it was not a personal issue that he went to court, but a matter of principle. The meeting was adjourned without any items on the agenda discussed. He added that the invitation sent to him bore Olubadan Advisory Council, a member of which he is by virtue of his position as the Otun Olubadan, noting that if the meeting had been tagged: ‘Obas Council’, he would not have bothered to attend.
He maintained that he had no any personal issue with any of them, but fighting on principle.
“There is no need to be personal about it, it is a matter of principle and I have no animosity against anybody. It was widely reported when I came to Kabiyesi to offer explanations on my action and we are still talking,” he said.
When it became glaring that the meeting could not be held, motion for adjournment was moved, seconded and the meeting ended without any of the items on agenda discussed.
