High Chief Owolabi Salis has commended Oyo State governor Seyi Makinde for endorsing the decision of the Olubadan-in-Council to make Chief Owolabi Olakulehin, an ex federal lawmaker, the new Olubadan of Ibadan.
The Ikorodu-born indigene of Lagos State, who is also the Olori Eyo Agere of Lagos and Jagun Bashorun of Ibadanland, conferred on hin by the late Olubadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, observed that Makinde did not allow any political consideration or prejudicial narrow preferences of any sort, to unilaterally tamper with the democratic nomination of the new Olubadan-in-waiting, in accordance with the equitable tradition of established rules of royal succession.
The Lawyer-politician who in 2019, contested for governorship of Lagos State, on the platform of Alliance For Democracy, congratulated the newly nominated Olubadan for his remarkable sense of resilience, coupled with the divine grace which has sustained him through the traditionaly instituted hierarchy, to eventually become the Olubadan of Ibadanland, while praying that Almighty God may bestow him with wisdom, strength and long life, not only to preside over the throne of his ancestors but also contribute to the growth of Ibadanland, Oyo State and Nigeria as a whole.
He commended the Ibadan Chieftaincy Law of Royal succession, describing it as the best among other existing systems and therefore worthy of emulation in view of its all-inclusive embrace, which entitles every indigenous family in the land to aspire for the royal throne, by rising through a traditionally instituted system of hierarchy.
He described the hierarchical succession as a salute to the wisdom of the ancestral
forebears of Ibadanland, in socio-political engineering, in view of the unifying and integrative effects arising from the equalitarian all-inclusive access to the throne.
He noted that most chieftaincy systems the world over, especially in Nigeria, seem to portray a master-slave relationship in terms of the deliberate discriminatory exclusion in which an Oba is succeeded by his child or chosen member of his family, or from other designated royal houses in the land, which implies that others which are traditionally not entitled are inferior second-rated and unreckonable bunch of natives.
“Even some kings in several kingdoms all over,are elevated and ranked over those in other kingdoms,tl thus creating the impression that one king is superior while the other king is inferior, while in many states of the federation, a king would be vested to preside permanently as chairman over other kings,” Salis said.
He urged the generality of Ibadan indigenes both home and abroad, not only to join hand in making the coronation of the new Olubadan a memorable one but to also ensure at all times, to contribute their own quota to the continuous development of their fatherland.