By Editor

•Says All Issues Causing Crisis Resolved •We Will Brief Lawyers Regarding Court Case Next Week, He Adds

Indigenes and friends of Ibadan waiting for the official announcement of the next Olubadan might have to wait a bit longer.

But the good thing is that indication has emerged that all the crisis rocking the Olubadan-in-Council on the succession plan has been laid to rest.

The Council assured that the legal tussle hindering the pronouncement of the next Olubadan would also be sorted out by next week.

This was confirmed on Saturday by former Oyo Governor Rashidi Ladoja, who is also the Osi Olubadan during a media briefing after a closed-door meeting between the Council and Governor Seyi Makinde.

The meeting, which was held at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan was attended by High Chiefs Lekan Balogun, Eddy Oyewole, Abiodun Kola Daisi and Amidu Ajibade.

Others were: High Chiefs Akinloye Owolabi Olakulehin, Tajudeen Ajibola, Gbadamosi Adebimpe, Kolawole Adegbola, John Isidore and Dauda Agagagugu.

The Governor had called a meeting of the members of the Olubadan-in-Council which lasted over two hours behind closed doors.

The meeting was the first time some of the members of the Council were meeting face-to-face since the crisis erupted on the review of the Olubadan Chieftain Laws and the award of beaded crowns to members of the Council by the immediate past administration in the State.

But after the meeting, members of the council said they have resolved issues causing trouble.

Although The Nation observed some members of the Council, including High Chief Lekan Balogun, High Chief Owolabi Olakuleyin, High Chief Gbadamosi Adebimpe, and High Chief Eddy Oyewole, were seen come out of the meeting earlier than others, it could not be confirmed if their somber look had anything to do with the outcome or discussion at the meeting.

But Ladoja said the meeting had been concluded before Balogun and other High Chiefs left, adding that they only refused to take launch.

Ladoja said: “I can tell you that Ibadan is very lucky. Very very lucky. The meeting was held in an atmosphere of conviviality, and again we were treated to a nice lunch afterward, which means that there was no rancour, all the matters that were causing crisis in Ibadanland had been resolved.

“So, the Governor has been magnanimous to have called this meeting because those of us that said we were never going to meet again at all finally met and we resolved all the matters.

“I can tell you that by next week you will see that there is no tension in Ibadanland again.

“The resolution of the meeting is simple. The only thing that was holding it up was the objection by Barrister Lana on the court case and we have resolved on how we are going to go about it. That was the only thing that was in contention.

“None of us argued that the Otun Olubadan, Senator Balogun is not the next Olubadan, he is the next Olubadan, there is no controversy about that because that is our hierarchy.

Speaking on the high Chiefs that walked out earlier, the former Governor said: “Nobody walked out, we had already finished the meeting before they left. It was when we were about to go for lunch that they said it was not time for them to eat and that they should be excused.

“Senator Lekan Balogun, Chief Balogun Olakulehin, Chief Eddy Oyewole all asked to be excused. I am telling you unequivocally that all is well, the Council is one and undivided.”

On how soon the next Olubadan would be announced, Ladoja said: “We have our procedures, now that everything ad been cleared, the kingmakers will now meet and we will present the candidate to the Governor for assent.

“On the court issues, we are going to brief the lawyers and they will do the needful. By next week you will see the new development to confirm that there is no crisis whatsoever in Ibadan again.

“The good thing is that, we thank the good people of Ibadan, the indigenes and friends of Ibadan. Ibadan is very lucky and I always tell people that Ibadan trained people to go and rule in their towns.

“Go and ask them, Agagu was in Ibadan, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Gbenga Daniel, Bola Tinubu were from Ibadan, go and ask all of them, so, when we trained them here, we send them back home to go and rule. Even Ooni of Ife was brought up in Ibadan.

“So, why should we not be able to solve our own problems? We are very happy that we have solved all the problems and all of us are very grateful to Mr Governor and we are happy that all is well that ends well.

“We assure that all rancor surrounding enthronement of Olubadan of Ibadan has been addressing and all the steps and move that we need to make is what we will make from next week.

“There is no fight anywhere, it is not ambiguous, the person that should be the next Olubadan is clear and it is Senator Lekan Balogun and that will not change.

“We thank those around from home and abroad for their love for Ibadan and their support, we assure them that all issues had been addressed and there is no more crisis and rancor.

“Many people are always happy that we have never had issues with the Olubadan succession method and I can assure you that there won’t be any crisis this time around again.”