Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State, is getting ready to welcome a new traditional ruler —Senator Rashidi Ladoja. The respected politician and former governor is next in line to become the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland, following the passing of Oba Olalekan Balogun, who spent less than a year on the throne. As preparations begin, here are 15 important things to know about the Olubadan-in-waiting.
1.Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja was born on September 24, 1944, in the Gambari area of Ibadan.
2. He attended Ibadan Boys’ High School between 1958 and 1963, and then went to Olivet Baptist High School from 1964 to 1965. He later traveled to Belgium to study at the University of Liège, where he obtained a degree in Chemical Engineering between 1966 and 1972.
3.Before fully going into politics, Ladoja worked in the banking sector. He became a director at Standard Trust Bank Limited in the year 2000.
4. During Nigeria’s short-lived Third Republic in 1993, Ladoja was elected as a senator under the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP), one of the five political parties registered during General Sani Abacha’s political transition.
5. Ladoja contested the 2003 Oyo State governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and won. He was sworn in as governor on May 29, 2003.
6. His emergence as governor was supported by PDP strongman, the late Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu. However, they soon clashed over the control of political appointments and influence in the state.
7.On January 12, 2006, Oyo lawmakers impeached Ladoja, and his deputy, Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, took over. However, on November 1, 2006, the Court of Appeal ruled the impeachment illegal. The Supreme Court confirmed the ruling on November 11, and Ladoja officially returned to office on December 12, 2006.
8. In the run-up to the 2007 elections, Ladoja was unable to secure the PDP ticket. He later supported the Action Congress (AC) in the 33 local government elections in the state.
9. In August 2008, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested Ladoja for allegedly mismanaging N1.9 billion from the sale of Oyo State’s shares during his administration. He was briefly remanded in prison and later released on bail.
10. Ladoja ran for governor again under the Accord Party in 2011 and 2015 but lost both times to the then incumbent, Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
11. After defecting to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and later Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Ladoja took a backseat in politics around 2018 to focus on his traditional title and community service.
12. Ibadan’s kingship is rotated between two ruling lines — Balogun (military line) and Otun (civil line). Ladoja is the current head of the Otun line, making him the next in line for the Olubadan throne after the passing of the last king from the Balogun line.
13. Like others in the Ibadan traditional system, Ladoja has patiently climbed through the ranks, and after decades of service, he is now set to wear the crown.
14.During Senator Abiola Ajimobi’s time as governor, a ceremonial crown was introduced for Ibadan high chiefs. At the time, Ladoja rejected the offer, preferring to uphold tradition. However, he later accepted the beaded crown on August 12, 2024, when the late Olubadan Olakulehin presented it to him.
15.The new ultramodern Olubadan palace, located at Oke-Aremo in Ibadan, was inaugurated by Governor Seyi Makinde in July 2024. Ladoja will be the first Olubadan to start his reign in the new palace, marking a new chapter in the history of the ancient city.
