THE Oyo State Government, on Monday, confirmed that it had received the nomination of Oba Owolabi Olakulehin as the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland.
The PUNCH reports that the Ibadan kingmakers proclaimed Oba Olakulehin as the next Olubadan at the meeting called by the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja, last Friday.
The meeting was held at the Olubadan Palace at Oja’ba in Ibadan, the state capital.
The state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Segun Olayiwola, told The PUNCH on Monday that Olakulehin’s name had been transmitted to and received by the state government.
“We have received the letter. We are working on it,” Olayiwola told our correspondent on the phone.
The revered Olubadan stool became vacant on March 14 following the demise of Oba Lekan Balogun, who passed on after reigning for two years.
Oba Olakulehin, who had since been declared as the Olubadan-designate, was finally nominated as the Olubadan of Ibadanland by the Osi Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Gbadamosi Adebimpe at the meeting held on Friday, following the absence of Oba Tajudeen Ajibola, the Otun Balogun of Ibadan and the next in rank to Oba Olakulehin.
Oba Ajibola had raised issues on the state of health of Oba Olakulehin and had described the monarch as ‘physically unfit’ for the throne.
But Ladoja had countered him, insisting that Oba Olakulehin was fit.
At the meeting held 28 days after the demise of Oba Balogun, Oba Olakulehin was present and participated in the proceedings, after which he spoke with journalists, putting paid to claims of his being ‘physically unfit for the throne.’
It would be recalled that Governor Seyi Makinde had earlier stated that there was no cause for alarm and called for caution.
