The Olubadan-designate, Oba Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja, has declared that without the influence of warriors from Ibadan, traditional rulers in Yorubaland would have been under Emir.
Ladoja while speaking, also attributed the lingering supremacy tussle among traditional rulers in Yorubaland to the utterances of their supporters.
He particularly mentioned that the crisis between the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade is needles.
Ladoja, a former governor of Oyo State made these revelations while receiving the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Alao, and his wife, who paid him a courtesy visit at his Bodija residence in Ibadan on Thursday.
The Olubadan-designate while speaking, decried the perceived rivalry, insisting that the monarchs themselves are not responsible for the feud but rather their followers.
He said, “I have always made it clear that neither the Ooni nor the Alaafin is fostering disunity. It is their supporters who, in an attempt to justify historical claims, are stirring discord. They forget that history is often subjective”.
The former governor while addressing the gathering, stressed the need for the Yoruba people to shift their focus from divisive historical debates to initiatives that promote peace, progress, and unity across Yorubaland.
He said, “The Alaafin cannot go to Ile-Ife to rule, just as the Ooni cannot rule in Oyo. Each monarch has his domain.
“The kind of history their supporters refer to is similar to Britain’s colonization of America, a past that no longer dictates the present. Today, if America sneezes, Britain catches a cold.
“Without Ibadan’s influence, traditional rulers across Yorubaland might have borne titles akin to ‘Emir’.
“But our focus now is not just about preserving history, but modernizing Ibadanland and building on the legacy of the old Ibadan Empire.”h
The Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Alao, while speaking congratulated Ladoja on his ascension as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland.
He described his emergence as a significant milestone not only for Ibadan but for all of Oyo State and Nigeria.