Traditional leaders in Ibadan have issued a firm warning to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade, over an alleged breach of protocol they insist diminishes the dignity of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja.
The caution followed a reportedly awkward encounter at the Agodi Government House, Ibadan, where the Alaafin was said to have attempted to greet the Olubadan by stretching out his hand while seated. Ibadan stakeholders described the gesture as inappropriate and inconsistent with long-established traditional norms.
Rising from an emergency meeting of monarchs, Mogajis, Baales and notable indigenes, the Ibadan leaders accused the Oyo monarch of repeatedly disregarding Ibadan customs and the hierarchy governing inter-traditional relations.
In a jointly signed statement by the President of the Ibadan Mogajis, Mogaji Asimiyu Ariori, and the Coordinator of the Ibadan Compound Peace Initiative, Mogaji Dr Nurudeen Akinade, the leaders condemned the incident as a grave slight on the Olubadan stool and an embarrassment to the traditional institution.
They maintained that Oba Ladoja handled the situation with restraint befitting his office but warned that further actions viewed as provocative would attract a stronger collective response from Ibadan traditional authorities, including kings, chiefs and community heads.
The statement underscored the Olubadan’s seniority, age and public service record, noting that the 82-year-old monarch is a former senator and governor with decades of statesmanship and business experience.
According to the leaders, Ibadan’s disposition towards peace should not be misconstrued as weakness. They stressed that the people would not tolerate any conduct capable of ridiculing their heritage or diminishing the authority of their traditional ruler.
The stakeholders also reiterated that Ibadanland has never been under the control of the Alaafin, warning that any attempt to undermine the Olubadan’s status would be stoutly resisted.
They called on Governor Seyi Makinde to intervene and counsel the Alaafin, cautioning that failure to address the issue could heighten tensions between the two historic Yoruba institutions.
While affirming their respect for tradition and coexistence, the Ibadan leaders concluded that courtesy and protocol remain non-negotiable pillars of Yoruba monarchy, insisting that respect must be mutual to sustain peace.
