Olubadan: Why Lekan Balogun should apologise, by Baale

By ALAO ABIODUN

The Baale of Ekotedo in Oyo State, Dr. Tayo Ayorinde, on Monday advised Otun Olubadan, High Chief Lekan Balogun, to apologise to the Ibadan people for his role in the 2018 litigation over the kingship.

Ayorinde spoke on the heels of controversies over Balogun’s ascension as the next Olubadan.

Ayorinde, who is the traditional chief in charge of the jurisdiction of the Igbo community in Ibadan, spoke in an interview on IATV Africa monitored by The Nation.

In 2018, Balogun along with other Olubadan-in-Council members engaged Oba Adetunji in a battle that saw them crown 21 kings in Ibadan, with the backing of the former governor, the late Abiola Ajimobi.

Balogun and the others had accused the late Olubadan of running a “one-man-show” in disregard of the Olubadan-in-Council.

Ayorinde said: “The next person to be Olubadan, if it is senator Balogun, it will go well, because at that time they would have apologised for what Ajimobi caused, but if he does not do it, then well the next person automatically comes in.

“You can find that the new set of Olubadan-in-Council or advisory council are educated people.

“They are young people with the exception of people like (former governor Rasheed) Ladoja who’s old, though old but seriously educated and has been in charge of Oyo State politics as a governor.

“He has knowledge of telling anybody who wants to mess up.

“These Afobajes have to appeal to Ibadan people that they took that crown unknowingly, not knowing that it will cause a problem like this.

“As far as I’m concerned, no human being is beyond mistake, and not only that Ajimobi, when he did it, thought he was doing something good for Ibadan, and that Ibadan should have so many kings.

“Eventually, the next person who emerges as Olubadan of Ibadan will enjoy.

“Ajimobi meant well, but he handled it wrongly. Nobody has the right to pronounce the next Olubadan except the Afobajes.

“The Afobajes have a problem on their hands; they have to go public, and seek forgiveness from Ibadan people. We need peace in Ibadan.” (The Nation)