*says, I am not causing any trouble, let him and others go and withdraw the cases they filed in court
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja on Thursday,
said the Otun Olubadan, High Chief Lekan Balogun is the next in line to the Olubadan of Ibadanland throne.
Receiving the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial aspirant and Senator representing Oyo Central, Senator Teslim Folarin and some APC leaders to his Bodija residence on a condolence visit over the death of Oba Saliu Adetunji, High Chief Ladoja saidHigh Chief Lekan Balogun is the most senior in the Olubadan in Council.
The former governor of Oyo state stressed that the controversy trailing succession to the throne of Olubadan is needless, and that the controversy should not have arisen as the succession plan is clear and unambiguous.
” There is no controversy about it. Egbon Lekan Balogun is the most senior in our line and so he is the next in line to the throne. For those asking, my ‘body and mouth language’ is that Egbon Lekan is my senior and he is next in line to the Olubadan stool”, he said.
The former governor added, “I do not have the powers to make anybody Olubadan. In 2017, we instituted a case to challenge the needless reform that Abiola Ajimobi as governor wanted to do. Almost all of us as High Chiefs and members of the Olubadan-in-Council agreed to the filing of a suit to challenge him and we gave the task to Michael Lana”.
High Chief Ladoja stressed, ” Lana later called me to say some of the High Chiefs told him to remove their names from the suit, leaving only my Egbon Balogun and myself.”
” Two weeks after we started the case, Egbon Balogun said he was no longer interested in the case. I asked Lana if I could do it alone and he ‘yes’ and we continued. We won the case at the state High Court and Ajimobi appealed.
” In a judgment, the Appeal Court, a few days to the exit of Ajimobi from government, sent the case back to the High Court for retrial. They Judges of the Appellate Court said the case was brought under writ of summons instead of originating summons.”
High Chief Ladoja maintained further, “By the time, there had been a new government headed by Seyi Makinde who said he did not want the distraction of the suit and called for out-of court settlement which we agreed to and did. After the terms of settlement were agreed to, the court gave a consent judgment based on the terms. But they said they were not happy and instituted two fresh cases which are still in court till today.”
” So, I need people to understand that I am not causing any trouble. The cases that are in court today in respect of the Obaship tussle were instituted by Egbo Balogun and his colleagues who are still calling themselves Obas.
“It is they that the people should talk to. Let them go and withdraw the cases they instituted. I don’t like the unwarranted tension this matter is generating
.
Receiving the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial aspirant and Senator representing Oyo Central, Senator Teslim Folarin and some APC leaders to his Bodija residence on a condolence visit over the death of Oba Saliu Adetunji, High Chief Ladoja saidHigh Chief Lekan Balogun is the most senior in the Olubadan in Council.
The former governor of Oyo state stressed that the controversy trailing succession to the throne of Olubadan is needless, and that the controversy should not have arisen as the succession plan is clear and unambiguous.
” There is no controversy about it. Egbon Lekan Balogun is the most senior in our line and so he is the next in line to the throne. For those asking, my ‘body and mouth language’ is that Egbon Lekan is my senior and he is next in line to the Olubadan stool”, he said.
The former governor added, “I do not have the powers to make anybody Olubadan. In 2017, we instituted a case to challenge the needless reform that Abiola Ajimobi as governor wanted to do. Almost all of us as High Chiefs and members of the Olubadan-in-Council agreed to the filing of a suit to challenge him and we gave the task to Michael Lana”.
High Chief Ladoja stressed, ” Lana later called me to say some of the High Chiefs told him to remove their names from the suit, leaving only my Egbon Balogun and myself.”
” Two weeks after we started the case, Egbon Balogun said he was no longer interested in the case. I asked Lana if I could do it alone and he ‘yes’ and we continued. We won the case at the state High Court and Ajimobi appealed.
” In a judgment, the Appeal Court, a few days to the exit of Ajimobi from government, sent the case back to the High Court for retrial. They Judges of the Appellate Court said the case was brought under writ of summons instead of originating summons.”
High Chief Ladoja maintained further, “By the time, there had been a new government headed by Seyi Makinde who said he did not want the distraction of the suit and called for out-of court settlement which we agreed to and did. After the terms of settlement were agreed to, the court gave a consent judgment based on the terms. But they said they were not happy and instituted two fresh cases which are still in court till today.”
” So, I need people to understand that I am not causing any trouble. The cases that are in court today in respect of the Obaship tussle were instituted by Egbo Balogun and his colleagues who are still calling themselves Obas.
“It is they that the people should talk to. Let them go and withdraw the cases they instituted. I don’t like the unwarranted tension this matter is generating
