By Dotun Gbadebo
A City in Celebration
Ibadan, Nigeria’s largest traditional city, is alive with colour, sound, and pride as Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja is crowned the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland. For weeks, the ancient metropolis has prepared for this moment. Banners drape across Bodija, Mokola, Dugbe, and Oja’ba; processions of drummers and dancers fill the air with music; and hotels across the city are filled to capacity with visitors.
At the heart of the celebration is Mapo Hall, the historic venue chosen for this epoch-making coronation. The event has attracted Nigeria’s most powerful figures: President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, serving and former governors, top business leaders, and revered traditional rulers. Governor Seyi Makinde plays host, presiding over what many already describe as the most glamorous coronation in Ibadan’s history.
But beyond the glitter of the ceremony lies a powerful story — the remarkable 32-year journey of Ladoja from Mogaji to monarch, a story defined by patience, resilience, and destiny.
The Traditional Ladder
The Ibadan chieftaincy system is one of the most orderly succession models in Yorubaland, admired for its transparency and fairness. It begins with the installation of a Mogaji (family head) and proceeds step by step up a clearly defined ladder of titles until one reaches the apex: the Olubadan throne.
For Rashidi Ladoja, the journey began in the 1980s, when he became Mogaji of the Ladoja family at Arusa Compound, Isale Osi. On October 1, 1993, he was installed Jagun Olubadan, the first step on the Egbe Agba line, by the then Olubadan, Oba Yesufu Asanike. From there, he embarked on a steady climb through 22 titles, each conferring greater responsibility in Ibadan’s traditional governance.
In 2022, he reached the rank of Otun Olubadan, making him the most senior chief in his line and heir apparent. That elevation brought him closer than ever to the crown, but obstacles still stood in his way.
Defending Tradition Against Political Pressure
Ladoja’s journey was complicated by political battles over the Olubadan system. In 2017, the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi attempted to elevate 21 high chiefs to Obaship status, a move that many feared would disrupt Ibadan’s age-old succession tradition. Ladoja stood firmly against the plan, even taking the matter to court, declaring that the throne must remain untainted by politics.
The debate resurfaced in 2024, when a new law required high chiefs to accept beaded crowns before moving up the hierarchy. Once again, Ladoja resisted, famously stating:
“I only want to wear one crown — the Olubadan crown. Ibadan does not need multiple kings.”
Yet, under intense persuasion from Ibadan elders, community leaders, and well-wishers who feared the law might block his ascension, Ladoja finally accepted a beaded crown in August 2024. In one of his last official acts, the late Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, crowned him an Oba — a step that cleared the last hurdle on his path to kingship.
Politics and Royalty Intertwined
What makes Oba Ladoja’s story stand out is the unique blend of politics and royalty. Long before his coronation, he had etched his name in Nigeria’s political history.
In 1993, he was elected Senator for Ibadan South under the Social Democratic Party (SDP). A decade later, in 2003, he became Governor of Oyo State, serving until 2007. His tenure was turbulent — marked by a controversial impeachment driven by powerful political forces, including the late Ibadan strongman Lamidi Adedibu and former President Olusegun Obasanjo. But the Supreme Court eventually overturned the impeachment in 2006, reinstating him.
Through all of this, Ladoja earned the admiration of ordinary Ibadan people. He was known for his humility, his preference for simple Ankara attire over pomp, and his commitment to prompt salary payments during his time as governor. Market women, artisans, and civil servants regarded him as a man of the people — a bond that would later fuel the overwhelming joy surrounding his coronation.
The People’s Monarch
Today, as Arusa I, the 44th Olubadan, Oba Ladoja steps into history not only as a custodian of tradition but also as a figure deeply loved by his people. Across Ibadan, the atmosphere is one of collective pride. Families decorate their compounds with congratulatory banners; traders hang posters in their shops; and at night, the city glows with illuminated billboards bearing his portrait in royal regalia.
For the people of Ibadan, his ascension is more than the crowning of a monarch — it is the fulfilment of a prophecy. Past Olubadans, such as Oba Saliu Adetunji, once prayed openly that Ladoja would live to wear the crown. Those prayers have now been answered.
He also makes history as the first Olubadan from the Arusa family compound, cementing his place in the lineage of firsts. His reign bridges the past and present, uniting the dignity of Ibadan’s cultural heritage with the political experience of a man who once governed the state.
A Throne of Destiny
Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja’s coronation is a landmark in Ibadan’s history. His 32-year climb to the throne demonstrates patience in the face of delays, courage in defending tradition, and resilience against political turbulence.
Now crowned, he carries with him not just the authority of a monarch but the weight of a people’s love and trust. As Ibadan ushers in a new chapter under his reign, the city celebrates not just the rise of a king, but the crowning of a man whose life embodies service, tradition, and destiny fulfilled.
