Awarenessinfohub has gathered that in a significant development, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has been sworn in as the inaugural chairman of the newly reconstituted Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
The inauguration ceremony, held at the House of Chiefs Hall, State Secretariat, Ibadan, was attended by Governor Seyi Makinde, who announced that the chairmanship of the council would rotate every two years among the three leading traditional rulers in the state, namely the Alaafin of Oyo, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, and the Soun of Ogbomosoland.
The development comes after the Alaafin of Oyo stool was stripped of its status as the permanent chairman of the council under the amended Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs Law, 2025, recently passed by the State House of Assembly. The Alaafin, Oba Akeem Owoade, was conspicuously absent from the event.
Governor Makinde explained that the rotational arrangement was agreed upon after consultations with traditional rulers, aimed at strengthening unity and fairness within the traditional institution.
He noted that the decision was aimed at promoting collective leadership and ensuring that all stakeholders have a voice in the council's decision-making process.
"The chairmanship of the Council of Obas will rotate, and I believe from the law it's every two years that it will rotate. This is what we are known for. But when we sit down, if we don't resolve issues and do what is right and proper for our people, then we have failed," Governor Makinde said.
The Olubadan praised Governor Makinde for reviving the council after it had been inactive for a long period. He described the governor's effort as "far from easy" and commended him for restoring the council, which had been dormant since 2011 due to prolonged legal disputes over leadership and structure.
"The governor has told you that through consultations, we can achieve more. We are closer to the people. People normally trust us because they know that we are not partisan. We are not going to stand for elections, so there is nothing we can tell them, which they will not believe because they know that we are not asking for votes," the Olubadan said.
The Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs operated actively for several years but became dormant around 2011 due to prolonged legal disputes over leadership and structure. The impasse led to the suspension of formal meetings, leaving traditional rulers to engage the state government individually rather than through a unified council.
The Oyo State Chieftaincy Law of 2025 has repealed the Oyo State Chieftaincy Law of 2000, which designated Alaafin of Oyo as the permanent chairman of the council.
The new law introduces a rotational chairmanship for the council, to be rotated among the Olubadan of Ibadanland, the Alaafin of Oyo, and the Soun of Ogbomoso.
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