Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, witnessed a momentous event as the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, crowned 10 out of 11 members of the Olubadan Advisory Council as kings. These members, formerly known as ‘High Chiefs,’ received their beaded crowns during a coronation ceremony held at Mapo Hall Arcade. Governor Seyi Makinde presented the staffs of office to the newly appointed kings, attracting a large crowd from various walks of life and causing traffic congestion in parts of Ibadan.
Among the newly crowned kings are Oba Owolabi Olakulehin (Balogun of Ibadanland), Oba Tajudeen Ajibola (Otun Balogun), Oba Eddy Oyewole (Osi Olubadan), Oba Lateef Gbadamosi Adebimpe (Osi Balogun), Oba Abiodun Kola-Daisi (Ashipa Olubadan), and Oba Kolawole Adegbola (Ashipa Balogun). The list also includes Oba Hamidu Ajibade (Ekerin Olubadan), Oba Dada Isioye (Ekerin Balogun), Oba Adebayo Akande (Ekarun Olubadan), and Oba Abiodun Dauda Azeez (Ekarun Balogun).
However, Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, the Otun Olubadan and a former governor of the state, did not attend the coronation, as he had previously expressed his refusal to accept the crown in a recent interview.
The coronation follows the review of the 1957 Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration, initiated during the administration of former Governor Abiola Ajimobi. However, the process faced legal challenges, with a court eventually declaring the review panel unconstitutional and void. Although an appeal was pending, the parties reached an out-of-court settlement.