The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Wednesday night, visited the previous governor of the state, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, at his Ondo Street non-public residence within the Ibadan North Local Government Area of the state.
The go to, seen by many as reconciliatory, got here after Ladoja, the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, agreed to put on the ceremonial beaded crown as Ibadan oba.
Some outstanding Ibadan indigenes, led by the Asiwaju of Ibadanland, Chief Bode Amao, alongside the President General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, Niyi Ajewole and different government members additionally visited Ladoja at his residence on Thursday.
Others who visited had been the Are Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta states, Daud Akinola; the Babaloja of Oyo State, Yekini Abass; the compound heads, popularly referred to as Mogajis, led by their President, Chief Asimiyu Ariori; Chairperson of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State, Dotun Olaitan, and a number of others.
Makinde and Ladoja loved a clean relationship prior to now, culminating of their opposition to the beaded crown when it was first launched by the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi administration.
Riding on the wave of the ill-treatment meted to the late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, by the Ajimobi administration, Makinde, backed by Ladoja in 2019, defeated the then-governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress backed by Ajimobi, Chief Bayo Adelabu.
Before the late Oba Lekan Balogun might get approval to turn out to be the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Makinde compelled all of the Obas topped by Ajimobi to drop their crowns and reversed to excessive chiefs as beforehand recognised.
The relationship between Makinde and Ladoja grew to become frosty within the build-up to the 2023 election, because the governor authorised the carrying of beaded crowns by the excessive chiefs, towards the stand of Ladoja.
On Sunday, Ladoja, at a reside programme on Fresh FM 105.9 in Ibadan, the state capital, made a U-turn and publicly introduced that he would settle for the ceremonial crown.
He, nevertheless, mentioned his resolution to simply accept the crown didn’t make him an oba, because the Olubadan of Ibadanland remained the one recognised monarch in Ibadan.
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He mentioned the gazette unveiled in the course of the coronation ceremony for Oba Owolabi Olakulehin because the Olubadan of Ibadanland was to make him turn out to be an Olubadan.
Makinde, who had since Monday, August 5, 2024, launched into an annual depart, transmitted energy to the Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, in a letter despatched to the state House of Assembly.
Sources aware about Wednesday’s assembly confided in our correspondent on Thursday that, “Governor Makinde arrived at Ondo Street round 6:00 pm yesterday (Wednesday). They held a closed-door assembly they usually each got here outdoors and mentioned for a couple of minutes earlier than the governor took his depart.
“They discussed at length, especially about the progress of Ibadanland in particular and the state in general. They also discussed the ceremonial beaded crown.”
Another supply mentioned, “We were excited to receive him (Makinde) yesterday. The governor and Otun Olubadan are on good terms. Forget about what people are saying. The visit was like a son coming to greet his father.”
A supply advised our correspondent that Amao, who spoke on behalf of others in the course of the go to, thanked Ladoja for accepting the crown and for the best way and method he dealt with the radio interview on Sunday.
Amao was quoted to have mentioned, “Some of us were disturbed and not happy because Ladoja rejected the crown initially. With his decision to accept it now, he (Ladoja) deserves to be commended.”
Another supply aware about the assembly mentioned, “The visitors all praised him. They congratulated him on the bold step. They said his decision not to accept the crown may destroy Ibadanland and for accepting it, they showered encomium on him. Ladoja was full of joy.”
Responding, Ladoja was mentioned to have appreciated them for the go to and warranted them that he would proceed to contribute his quota to the expansion and improvement of the city specifically and the state on the whole.
When contacted, one in every of Ladoja’s aides, Adeola Oloko, confirmed the go to and declined additional remark.
“Yes, they were all here this evening. The delegation was led by the Asiwaju of Ibadanland, Bode Amao,” he mentioned.
It was additional gathered that plans had been already concluded for Ladoja to put on the crown.
The presentation of the beaded crown, which should have taken place this week, was mentioned to have been postponed until subsequent week, after the assembly of Olubadan-In-Council on the ultramodern palace at Oke-Aremo, Ibadan.